47. Mr. Slaterasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of paid staff of county agricultural committees for 1957–58 and the cost of wages and salaries; and how such number of staff and cost in wages and salaries compare with the figures for 1951.
§ Mr. GodberI presume that this Question refers to the divisional office staff of the Ministry who work in conjunction with the county agricultural executive committees. In 1957–58 the total staff in the 32 divisional offices92W averaged 4,192 at a cost in wages and salaries of £2,703,916.
The committees also have the support and assistance of about 1,200 members of the Agricultural Land Service, the Milk Service, and the National Agricultural Advisory Service, who are stationed in the divisions and counties.
It is impossible to give a direct comparison with 1951–52 because of the extensive changes in organisation and duties which have taken place in the interval, but non-industrial staff then employed averaged 6,948 in numbers and cost £2,520,657 in wages and salaries.