§ Mr. Fellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many social workers were employed by his Department and local authorities, respectively, during each year since 1974.
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§ Mr. DeakinsThe number of social workers employed by my Department at 1st January each year was as follows:
1974 129½* 1975 143½* 1976 147½* 1977 149½* 1978 146½* * Whole-time equivalent These figures include officers of the Social Work Service in the Headquarters of my Department and in 9 Regional Offices, and social workers employed at the Special Hospitals and Youth Treatment Centres.
The number of social workers employed by local authorities at 30th September in England was as follows:
1974 12.5 thousand* 1975 11.9 thousand 1976 12.2 thousand (provisional) * Figures for 1975 and 1976 are not comparable with that for 1974 because the 1974 figure includes certain senior social workers.