HC Deb 20 October 1976 vol 917 cc463-4W
Mr. Kilfedder

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what organisational and staffing changes are expected to result from the elevation of the former Civil Service Management Division into a separate Department; how the change will affecting staffing costs; and what and how many additional principals, assistant secretaries, senior assistant secretaries, deputy secretaries and permanent secretaries will be required.

Mr. Mason

The only organisational change arises from the need to have a separate establishment and accounts branch to service the new Department. That branch comprises 23 posts, a few of which have been immediately offset by the suppression of posts elsewhere. The total staffing requirements and costs of the new Department will, however, be accommodated within the reduced totals previously approved for the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

Only one additional senior post—at Principal level—is required and that has been offset by the suppression of a Prin-

1st January 1974 1st January 1975 31st August 1976
Permanent Secretary 12 12 10
Deputy Secretary 14 16 14
Senior Assistant Secretary 12 17 19
Assistant Secretary 57 70 73
Senior Principal 19 20 19
Principal 179 216 216
Deputy Principal 361 411 452
Staff Officer 497 569 634

Organisational changes accounted for the reduction of two in the number of Permanent Secretaries and for an increase of two Senior Assistant Secretaries and three Assistant Secretary. There is no

cipal post elsewhere. The former Second Secretary in charge of the Civil Service Management Division is now the Permanent Secretary of the new Department, but this is a change of nomenclature only, with no increase in salary.

Mr. Kilfedder

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what organisational changes have taken place in the Northern Ireland Civil Service since 197475; what are the changes in individual departments; and how far the changes contributed to an increase or decrease in the number of staff officers, deputy principals, principals, senior principals, assistant secretaries, senior assistant secretaries, deputy secretaries and permanent secretaries.

Mr. Mason

From 1st January 1974 the following organisational changes have taken place in the Northern Ireland Civil Service1st January 1974, the following Departments were created—Manpower Services, Environment, Housing Local Government and Planning and the Office of the Executive. The Ministry of Development was abolished. 1st January 1975, the Youth Employment Service was absorbed into the Department of Manpower Services. 1st April 1975, the Department of Community Relations was abolished and its functions merged into the Department of Education. 1st April 1976, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning was abolished and its functions merged into the Department of the Environment (NI). 1st October 1976 the Department of the Civil Service was created.

The following table shows the number of staff in each grade between Permanent Secretary (NI) and Staff Officer in the NICS from 1974 to date:

change in the number of Senior Principals, and below that level analysis of the reasons for the increases could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.