HC Deb 12 November 1975 vol 899 cc725-6W
Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many staff were employed by his Department in February 1974, October 1974, and at the most recent date for which figures are available; and what increases he anticipates for the rest of this year and 1976.

Mr. Benn

The number of staff employed by my Department in February 1974, October 1974 and October 1975 was 1,422, 1,794 and 1,384 respectively.

The figure for February 1974 does not include staff engaged mainly on common services who had not, at that time, been transferred from the Department of Trade and Industry: both the 1974 figures in- clude some 680 staff transferred to the Health and Safety Executive on 1st January 1975 and thus not included in the October 1975 figure.

Any further increase in the staff of my Department by the end of 1976 is expected to be minimal.

Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of Stale for Energy what is the total wage and salary bill of his Department and the proportion resulting from the employment of additional staff since February 1974.

Mr. Benn

The total annual salary bill of the present staff of my Department amounts to approximately £6.7 million of which slightly under half results from the employment of additional staff since February 1974, when some functions were still to be transferred from Department of Trade and Industry. The salaries of staff transferred to the Health and Safety Executive on 1st January 1975 have been left out of the above calculation.