§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many full- and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of such posts.
§ Mr. John SilkinI make no full-time appointments, but I am responsible for making 1,380 part-time appointments, not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission, of which 100 are salaried, 254 are fee paid, 988 are unpaid and 38 are not paid from public funds. In some cases, the appointments are made jointly with my right hon. 421W Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland, and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, as appropriate. The total annual amount paid in respect of salaries and fees is approximately £165,000. Information about expenses, other than salaries and fees, is not readily available and could only be assembled at disproportionate cost.
As to the final point, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Carshalton (Mr. Forman) by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Civil Service Department on 1st November 1976.—[Vol. 917, c. 959–60.]