§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many additional employees in local government have resulted from the reorganisation; how much was spent in 1974–75 on salaries and wages as compared with the financial year immediately prior to reorganisation; and what steps he intends to take to cut down on duplication of executive functions.
§ Mr. John SilkinIt is not possible to say exactly to what extent the staffing decisions of local authorities have been affected by reorganisation as against498W other causes, but it must have been considerable. Between mid-June 1973 and mid-June 1974 the total number of persons employed by local authorities dropped from 2,454,000 to 2.443,000 but it should be noted that about 90,000 former local government employees were transferred to health and water functions and to passenger transport executives and so technically away from local government. The estimated total salaries and wages bill of local authorities in England and Wales in 1973–74 was £4,300 million.
Information in respect of 1974–75 is not available.
My right hon. Friend has under constant review the allocation of local government functions, has set up the watch on staff numbers and has made it clear that local authorities must confine their finance to inescapable commitments—which in itself has implications for staff numbers.