§ Mr. Kershawasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the activities so far of the Paymaster-General's Department; where that Department is located; how many civil servants are occupied in that Department; how many are in the Paymaster-General's private office; and what is the total amount of their salaries.
§ Mr. MacDermotThe Paymaster-General's Office is a sub-department of the Treasury and it acts as banker for most Government Departments. It also pays some 430,000 public service pensions, including those of Civil Servants, teachers and staff of the National Health Service. The main office is at Russell Square, W.C.1, with branch offices at Tavistock Square and at Crawley New Town. The Office employs 650 staff, and the cost of their salaries is approximately £588,000 per annum. The private office of the Paymaster-General, in Whitehall, is staffed by a private secretary (higher executive officer) and a clerical officer (secretary); the salary cost is £2,400 per annum.