HC Deb 29 June 1977 vol 934 c256W
Mr. Donald Stewart

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the ratio of social workers to population in regional and island authorities in Scotland at the last statistical return.

Mr. Millan

The following table shows the numbers—whole-time equivalent—of senior and specialist staff at 31st March 1976. Figures for that date for Strathclyde and Lothian regions are not available. The term "senior and specialist staff" includes all social workers in social work department headquarters and area offices but excludes those social workers, in general a minority, working in other places, for example, hospitals, and including certain other staff, for example, occupational therapists.

The procedures employed in this type of estimate are necessarily complex and a substantial margin of error must be allowed for.