HC Deb 07 June 1976 vol 912 cc541-2W
Mr. Forman

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total cost to public funds of the public bodies for which he is responsible.

Mr. Shore

The majority of the bodies mentioned in my reply to the hon. Member's question today obtain their income from various sources both public and private and from that income finance a wide range of activities. It is not possible, therefore, to give a meaningful estimate of the extent to which the cost of the public bodies themselves is met from public funds.

Mr. Forman

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of people employed in the public bodies for which he is responsible.

Mr. Shore

The public bodies for whose staffing I have some direct statutory or other responsibility and the numbers of staff employed by each on 1st April 1976 are as follows: —

Agreement Board 57
Centre for Environmental Studies 58
Commission of the New Towns 971
Development Commission (including the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas) 311
Housing Corporation 329
Location of Offices Bureau 15
National Building Agency 227
Nature Conservancy Council 479
New Town Development Corporation in England 11,411
Sports Council 530

There are other bodies for which I have some responsibility, many of which are included in the Answer given to the hon. Member for Carlton (Mr. Holland) by my right hon. Friend the Member for Grimsby (Mr. Crosland) on 25th February last, but whose staffing I do not directly control.—[Vol. 906, c. 244.]