HC Deb 30 June 1942 vol 381 cc40-1W
Captain Crowder

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to what extent the personnel of Government Departments has increased since the war; and the cost to the country of this increase?

Captain Crookshank

The estimated total number of non-industrial Civil servants at the outbreak of war was 443,000 (395,000 whole-time and 48,000 part-time). At 1st April, 1942, the total number of whole-time non-industrial Civil servants was 696,669 (641,267 whole-time and 55,402 part-time). On these figures the increase since the beginning of the war is, therefore, 253,669 (246,267 whole-time and 7,402 part-time). The figures include staff engaged on reserved and agency services, Northern Ireland. In order to ascertain the cost of this increase with any accuracy, considerable inquiry would be necessary which I do not feel justified in undertaking in present circumstances.

Captain Crowder

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can give particulars of the new Government Departments which have been established since the war, showing, separately, the number of staff employed by each Department, together with the total cost of the salaries paid by each Department?

Captain Crookshank

The number of whole-time non-industrial staff employed at 1st April, 1942, in the Departments which have been established since the war is as follows:

Ministry of War Transport 13,611
Ministry of Economic Warfare 1,320
Ministry of Food 35,811
Ministry of Information (including 11,231 in the Postal and Telegraph Censorship Department) 13,488
War Damage Commission 1,638
Ministry of Aircraft Production 13,784
Office of Minister of Production 335

There is also the Petroleum Department with a staff of 2,455 which now forms part of the Ministry for Fuel and Power for which figures are not available at present. Some of these Departments, e.g., Ministry of War Transport and Ministry of Aircraft Production, are carrying on duties which were performed by pre-war Departments so that the numbers given include many staff transferred from pre-war Departments, and it would be a mistake to assume that the cost of the Departments is due solely to war activities. On the other hand, many Departments, e.g., Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Supply and Board of Trade, which were established before the war, have greatly expanded during the war and have taken on new duties. It would be impossible without unjustified expenditure of time and labour to assess the cost of the strictly war-time functions of Departments.