HC Deb 09 June 1975 vol 893 cc28-38W
Mr. Gow

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total number of civil servants employed in the United Kingdom, in each department, on the latest available date, and on the same date in each of the preceding 10 years; and to what extent the numbers are not comparable.

Mr. Charles R. Morris,

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 8th May 1975; Vol. 891, c. 483–4], gave the following information:

Central records do not distinguish between United Kingdom-based civil servants working in the United Kingdom or abroad. The numbers of United Kingdom-based civil servants in each department on 1st January in each year were as follows:

Department 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975
Agricultural Research Council 99 —1 — — — — — — — — —
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ministry of 15,171 15,155 15,677 16,176 16,056 15,949 15,999 15,669 15,394 15,042 15,195
Ancient Monuments (Wales and Mon-mouthshire), Royal Commission on 13 14 16 15 16 16 19 —1 — — —
Aviation, Ministry of 38,788 38,447 37,170 —2 — — — — — — —
British Museum 1,086 1,143 1,311 1,459 1,477 1,528 1,605 —1 — — —
British Museum (Natural History) 524 536 561 560 576 588 591 —1 — — —
Cabinet Office 407 408 428 455 463 716 562 590 598 600 629
Charity Commission 263 275 294 284 280 292 312 313 329 303 332
Civil Service Commission 594 628 654 694 —3 — — — — — —
Civil Service Pay Research Unit 31 34 31 38 34 34 33 46 38 43 54
Colonial Office 606 599 —1 — — — — — — — —
County Courts 5,197 5,271 5,430 5,476 5,489 5,533 5,651 —5 — — —
Crown Estate Office 131 129 128 131 122 126 128 127 125 126 128
Customs and Excise 15,942 16,632 17,309 17,913 17,806 17,877 17,919 18,308 22,643 24,841 27,126
Defence, Ministry of 279,366 276,007 275,114 275,165 267,352 261,250 255,731 279,279 270,225 267,890 266,470
Development Commission 20 —1 — — — — — — — — —
Diplomatic Service 10,243 10,691 11,211 11,180 —6 — — — — — —
Economic Affairs, Department of 271 517 553 576 682 —7 — — — — —
Education and Science, Department of 3,570 4,012 4,799 4,426 4,296 4,363 4,275 3,2458 3,236 2,915 2,887
Exchequer and Audit Department 533 542 551 571 566 578 576 —1 — — —
Export Credits Guarantee Department 1,110 1,168 1,236 1,315 1,370 1,439 1,489 1,598 1,658 1,648 1,783
Fine Art Commission, Royal 7 5 5 5 5 5 5 —1 — — —
Forestry Commission 13,686 —1 — — — — — — — — —
Friendly Societies, Registry of 105 105 102 106 102 99 94 94 94 104 114
General Register Office 1,237 1,249 1,613 1,577 1,488 1,702 —9 — — — —
Government Actuary's Department 45 48 44 44 44 45 50 56 58 55 62
Health, Ministry of 5,360 5,613 6,039 6,393 —10 — — — — — —
Health, Welsh Board of 183 183 198 202 197 —11 — — — — —
Historical Manuscripts Commission 15 14 14 16 19 16 18 —1 — — —
Historical Monuments (England), Royal Commission on 61 69 70 76 77 78 83 —1 — — —
Home Office 19,086 19,719 21,049 22,356 23,497 24,666 25,716 27,254 28,462 28,261 30,287
Housing and Local Government, Ministry of 3,253 3,568 4,060 4,332 4,386 4,726 —12 — — — —
Housing and Local Government, Welsh Office of 241 —13 — — — — — — — — —
Imperial War Museum 101 113 134 133 143 148 163 —1 — — —
Information, Central Office of 1,575 1,647 1,685 1,555 1,513 1,508 1,508 1,396 1,313 1,246 1,284
Inland Revenue 56,451 58,974 60,877 62,994 65,020 68,050 69,644 72,876 70,776 69,359 73,470

Department 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975
Labour, Ministry of 21,183 22,399 26,629 29,836 —14 — — — — — —
Land and Natural Resources, Ministry of 139 270 238 —7 — — — — — — —
Land Registry 2,746 3,023 3,452 3,819 3,778 3,804 4,015 4,298 4,800 4,983 4,532
Law Officers' Department 9 9 7 8 11 12 12 16 19 20 21
Local Government Commission for England 38 31 —7 — — — — — — — —
London Museum 69 66 65 70 70 68 74 —1 — — —
Mint, Royal 1,016 1,186 1,292 1,231 1,633 1,851 1,519 1,384 1,372 1,157 1,396
National Assistance Board 13,622 13,905 —15 — — — — — — — —
National Debt Office 51 51 50 54 52 55 53 55 55 53 60
National Economic Development Office —31 106 139 143 —31 —32 164 —1 — — —
National Gallery 152 166 166 175 181 190 197 —1 — — —
National Maritime Museum 115 122 128 144 148 147 161 —1 — — —
National Parks Commission 25 31 52 65 —16 — — — — — —
National Portrait Gallery 44 48 50 50 49 53 59 —1 — — —
National Savings Committee 626 625 614 614 600 —17 — — — — —
Ordnance Survey 4,422 4,442 4,588 4,745 4,643 4,679 4,652 4,674 4,737 4,550 4,531
Overseas Development, Ministry of 1,685 2,197 2,315 2,448 2,437 2,463 2,497 2,489 2,316 2,162 2,269
Paymaster General's Office 621 631 641 690 715 704 649 610 644 662 704
Pensions and National Insurance, Ministry of 40,402 40,611 —15 — — — — — — — —
Power, Ministry of 1,692 1,725 1,745 1,805 1,781 —18 — — — — —
Privy Council Office 35 33 36 38 35 34 33 32 32 34 45
Public Building and Works, Ministry of 59,967 59,058 57,823 59,445 58,862 56,892 —12 — — — —
Public Prosecutions, Director of 103 107 112 112 113 120 127 139 147 158 170
Public Record Office 219 219 226 231 252 295 305 315 333 342 397
Public Trustee Office 557 533 525 557 529 554 539 569 534 503 518
Public Works Loan Board 52 52 50 49 51 47 47 —1 — — —
Registrar of Restrictive Trading Agreements, Office of 114 103 101 91 74 72 68 68 67 —19 —
Scientific and Industrial Research, Department of 6,922 —20 — — — — — — — — —
Stationery Office 6,816 6,972 7,291 7,435 7,491 7,555 7,681 7,758 7,345 7,152 7,080
Supreme Court of Judicature 1,812 1,860 1,867 1,883 1,878 1,911 2,000 —5 — — —
Supreme Court of Northern Ireland 106 107 100 106 103 106 101 98 96 96 94
Tate Gallery 125 135 133 147 160 162 184 —1 — — —
Technology, Ministry of 52 5,416 5,911 35,578 34,748 38,034 —21 — — — —
Trade, Board of 7,619 9,746 10,583 18,296 18,890 17,207 —22 — — — —
Transport, Ministry of 8,021 7,278 7,790 8,268 8,864 9,162 —12 — — — —
Treasury 1,584 1,730 1,804 1,864 964 1,041 1,060 1,075 1,074 1,000 1,065
Treasury Solicitor 354 378 366 362 345 359 377 374 385 378 415
Wallace Collection 59 64 62 66 65 66 65 —1 — — —

Department 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975
Scottish Departments
Accountant of Court 20 20 20 19 18 18 18 18 18 —23 —
Agriculture and Fisheries, Department of 3,091 3,199 3,193 3,248 3,090 3,277 3,318 —24 — — —
Ancient and Historical Monuments, Royal Commission on 12 12 16 18 21 23 25 —1 — — —
Court of Session 84 87 87 91 91 90 89 8525 89 —23 —
Crown Office 13 14 15 14 18 18 21 22 23 26 33
Exchequer Office (QLTR) 64 65 66 68 67 66 68 66 67 55 55
General Register Office 188 231 262 248 224 232 254 440 425 425 418
High Court of Justiciary 5 7 6 5 6 7 7 8 9 —23 —
Lord Advocate's Department 11 13 14 14 14 12 13 14 14 14 14
National Galleries 76 79 78 77 80 86 87 —1 — — —
National Library 122 122 128 125 126 124 129 —1 — — —
National Museum of Antiquities 26 28 30 31 34 37 38 —1 — — —
National Savings Commission 54 56 56 57 59 —17 — — — — —
Procurator Fiscal Service 180 194 207 232 239 257 277 288 301 317 355
Registers of Scotland 260 267 262 276 269 266 274 289 311 380 387
Royal Observatory 55 —1 — — — — — — — — —
Scottish Development Department 731 784 867 932 1,000 1,030 1,032 —24 — — —
Scottish Education Department 638 729 761 799 784 877 932 —26 — — —
Scottish Home and Health Department 3,374 3,582 3,776 3,907 3,977 3,990 4,032 —24 — — —
Scottish Land Court 20 19 18 19 18 17 18 18 17 —23 —
Scottish Record Office 98 103 105 106 108 109 124 128 134 138 139
Sheriff Clerk's Office 313 318 328 335 339 353 361 369 379 —23 —
Departments created since 1965
Aviation Supply, Ministry of — — — — — — 28,271 —27 — — —
Civil Service Department — — — — 1,627 2,103 2,402 2,334 3,257 5,015 5,256
Constitution, Commission on the — — — — — — 15 1 — — —
Decimal Currency Board — — — — 28 43 43 —7 — — —
Employment, Department of — — — — — — — 33,069 34,437 33,773 15,59528
Employment and Productivity, Department of — — — — 30,323 31,232 32,083 —29 — — —
Energy, Department of — — — — — — — — — — 1,207
Environment, Department of the — — — — — — 71,819 70,248 22,70430 24,560 26,207
Environmental Pollution, Royal Commission on — — — — — — 5 —1 — — —
Fair Trading, Office of — — — — — — — — — 96 172
Fine Art Commission for Scotland, Royal — — — — — — 2 —1 — — —
Foreign and Commonwealth Office — — — — 10,815 10,615 10,566 10,543 10,440 10,201 10,256

Department 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975
Government Social Survey, Department of — — — 183 205 214 —9 — — — —
Health and Safety Commission/Executive — — — — — — — — — — 2,800
Health and Social Security, Department of — — — — 69,580 70,436 71,816 74,549 76,537 80,940 86,707
Industry, Department of — — — — — — — — — — 10,239
Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce — — — — — — — — 264 414 475
Land Commission — — 531 1,465 1,236 1,027 451 —7 — — —
Lands Tribunal (Scotland) — — — — — — 2 6 6 6 7
Lord Chancellor's Office — — — — — — — 8,852 9,311 9,342 9,599
Lord Lyon (Scotland) — — — — — — 5 6 5 —23 —
Museum and Galleries, Standing Commission on — — — — — — 2 —1 — — —
National Board for Prices and Incomes — 87 108 200 —7 — — — — — —
National Savings, Department for — — — — — 15,269 15,266 14,780 13,883 13,378 13,556
Northern Ireland Office — — — — — — — — 108 175 224
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration — — — 59 56 54 55 —1 — — —
Parliamentary Counsel — — — — — — — 46 47 44 47
Pensions Appeal Tribunal (Scotland) — — — — — — — 5 4 —23 —
Population Censuses and Surveys, Office of — — — — — — 2,069 2,564 2,599 2,708 2,786
Posts and Telecommunications, Ministry of — — — — — 382 408 432 461 459 —33
Prices and Consumer Protection, Department of — — — — — — — — — — 347
Property Services Agency — — — — — — — — 47,215 44,766 43,457
Registry of Trade Unions and Employers' Associations — — — — — — — 38 43 39 —7
Royal Scottish Museum — — — — — — — 160 167 166 173
Science Museum — — — — — — — 414 412 411 445
Scottish Courts Administration — — — — — — — — — 728 736
Scottish Law Commission — 12 13 12 14 14 14 15 16 —23 —
Scottish Office — — — — — — 173 9,460 9,641 9,704 9,882
Social Security, Ministry of — — 57,887 61,468 —10 — — — — — —
Temporary Royal Commissions — — — — 61 27 —1 — — — —
Trade, Department of — — — — — — — — — — 7,303
Trade and Industry, Department of — — — — — — 26,573 26,269 18,763 18,721 —34
Victoria and Albert Museum — — — — — — — 630 653 638 656
Welsh Office — 428 466 534 538 776 886 926 991 1,062 1,270
Total all Departments 667,980 659,406 674,614 691,190 687,663 702,056 702,853 701,896 692,656 694,384 693,921

Notes on comparability of figures:]
Casual staff excluded from 1967.
All figures include part-time staff counted as one half.
Post Office excluded throughout.
1 These staff ceased to be counted as civil servants.
2 Functions transferred in 1967 to Ministry of Technology and Board of Trade.
3 See Civil Service Department from 1969.
4 Functions transferred in 1966 to Diplomatic Service.
5 See Lord Chancellor's Office from 1972.
6 See Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1969.
7 Department dissolved.
8 From 1972 staffs of Science Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum shown separately.
9 See Office of Population Censuses and Surveys from 1971.
10 See Department of Health and Social Security from 1969.
11 Functions transferred in 1969 to Welsh Office.
12 See Department of the Environment from 1971.
13 See Welsh Office from 1966.
14 See Department of Employment and Productivity from 1969.
15 See Ministry of Social Security from 1967.
16 Functions transferred in 1968 to Ministry of Housing and Local Government.
17 See Department for National Savings from 1970.
18 Functions transferred in 1969 to Ministry of Technology.
19 See Office of Fair Trading from 1974.
20 Functions transferred in 1965 to Ministries of Technology and Transport, and Department of Education and Science.
21 See Ministry of Aviation Supply and Department of Trade and Industry from 1971.
22 See Department of Trade and Industry from 1971.
23 See Scottish Courts Administration from 1974.
24 See Scottish Office from 1972.
25 See Pensions Appeal Tribunal from 1972.
26 See Scottish Office and Royal Scottish Museum from 1972.
27 Functions transferred in 1971 to Ministry of Defence and Department of Trade and Industry.
28 From 1975 staff of Manpower Services Commission ceased to be counted as civil servants. Also see Health and Safety Commission/Executive
29 See Department of Employment from 1972.
30 Functions transferred in 1972 to Property Services Agency
31 Included in figures for Department of Economic Affairs.
32 Included in figures for Cabinet Office.
33 Functions transferred in 1974 to Home Office and Department of Industry.
34 See Departments of Energy. Industry. Prices and Consumer Protection, and Trade from 1975

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