HC Deb 25 May 1973 vol 857 cc168-9W
Mr. Biffen

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the projects affected by the Chancellor's statement of public expenditure retrenchment announced on 21st May which fall on his Vote and indicate the total savings expected for the current and prospective year.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

There are no projects on the Civil Service Department Vote which are directly affected as such; although there will be some saving from the policy of continuing to contain the growth of Civil Service manpower announced my my right hon. Friend on Monday. The overall effect of this policy on all Departments' Votes will be a saving of some £15 million on the published Estimates for 1973–74 and £20 million in 1974–75. It is too early to say what the effect of this will be on my—or any other—individual Department's Vote, because the differing requirements of Departments will mean that, within the constraint of the overal policy, application in individual cases will have to be flexible.