§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the reduction in the number of persons by grade and gender employed by his Department and associated offices and agencies, nationally and regionally over the next three years, as a result of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement of 29 November, indicating which branch, agency and region will be affected and stating his estimate of the number of job losses in each year which will be by (a) natural wastage, (b) voluntary redundancy and (c) compulsory redundancy; and what estimate he has made of the yearly total of savings in wages and associated costs as a result of these reductions in each Department, branch and agency.
§ Sir John Wheeler[holding answer 5 December 1994]The information requested is not yet available. It is likely, however, that further reductions will be necessary over and above the 500 voluntary redundancies in the Northern Ireland civil service which will take place before 31 March 1995. The Department's staffing plans for 1995–6, 1996–97 and 1997–98 will be set out in the departmental report, to be published on 10 March 1995.
The Government's aim has been, and will continue to be, that reductions in the size of the civil service should, as far as possible, be achieved without compulsory redundancies.