HC Deb 06 March 1958 vol 583 c148W
94. Sir W. Wakefield

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of civil servants employed at the Colonial Office in 1937, 1947 and 1957, respectively.

Mr. Profumo

The figures are 422, 1,245 and 1247.

Three factors have been chiefly responsible for the increase in staff since before the war:

  1. (a) The implementation of Colonial Development and Welfare Acts;
  2. (b) the impact of the United Nations, its agencies and comparable international bodies on Colonial territories;
  3. (c) the new and complex problems presenting themselves as territories approach self-government.

Every possible economy in staff is being effected. In fact the 1957 figure is significantly lower than that for 1956 and I hope that reductions can continue.

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