§ Sir J. Langford-Holtasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total number of paid public appointments made by him in each of the last four years as recorded in the "Directory of Paid Public Appointments made by Ministers"; and what was the total cost to the public purse of these appointments in each of these years.
§ Mr. Joel Barnett,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 19th July 1978], gave the following information:
372W
EMPLOYEES IN EMPLOYMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (000's) April 1972 April 1978* Clothing (Minimum List Headings 441–449 of the Standard Industrial Classification) & & & & & & & & & 362.1 306.1 Hosiery and other knitted goods (MLH 417—included in textiles below) & 133.7 119.7 Textiles (MLHs 411–429) & & & & & & & 598.4 498.0 * Provisional. My right hon. Friend appoints the chairmen of economci development committees for two-year terms. They are entitled to a fee of £1,000 per annum, but not all claim it. A few EDCs have started or terminated during the period in question, but the total number has remained at about 18. The number of appointments or reappointments that he has made in the last four financial years, and the total cost of all EDC chairmen's fees in those years, are as follows:
Total fees 1974–75 7 £12,000 1975–76 5 £12,000 1976–77 4 £13,600 1977–78 7 £8,000