§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the actual and estimated cost of salaries, wages and associated administrative costs of Northern Ireland Government Departments in 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77; how much of the change is due to inflation of prices and increased salaries and wages; and how much is due to staffing changes in the Civil Service.
§ Mr. MasonThe costs of salaries, wages and expenditure on general admini-540W stration of the Northern Ireland Departments for the three financial years are:
Year £million 1974–75 (actual)… … 70.6 1975–76 (actual) … … 96.1 1976–77 (estimate) … … 108.4 It is not possible without disproportionate expense to calculate the extent to which the changes in costs over the three years are due to inflation of prices and increased salaries and wages and to staffing changes. However, the actual manpower figures for the Northern Ireland Departments at June of each year are:
1974 26,467 1975 28,891 1976 28,039 The figures above do not include staff employed on the urban and rural improvement campaign and in the Northern Ireland Civil Service Group of the Northern Ireland Office.