§ Mr. Geoffrey Finsbergasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the terms of reference for the Watch Group on local authority staff numbers, if it will have powers to bring about reductions in local authority staff; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John Silkin:Joint arrangements have been made under which returns of staff employed in local government will be collected on a quarterly basis. The figures will be considered by a working group representative of local and central Government. The group has no formal terms of reference but it will review manpower trends in the light of national policies and priorities, and will refer any important issues of policy for consideration jointly by Ministers and leading elected members. It will have no powers of direction over individual authorities as regards either numbers or deployment of staff. The arrangements are more fully described in DOE Circular 30/75 (Welsh Office Circular 34/75), a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member.