§ 19. Mr. Formanasked the Minister for the Civil Service what plans his Department has for containing the further growth of administrative and clerical staff both in Whitehall and in other administrative centres around the country.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisThe Government will ensure that the cuts in expenditure on the Civil Service to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member's previous Question on 27th January 1977, and in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Lewis) on 11th March 1977 are achieved. These expenditure cuts are consistent with a Civil Service of around the three-quarter million mark for the rest of this year and 10,000 to 15,000 less over the next two or three years. The methods of control of manpower by my Department are designed to prevent unnecessary growth in staff numbers and to promote economy in staffing in the Civil Service.