§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total number of people employed by the Immigration Service in each year since its inception;
(2) what was the cost to public funds of the Immigration Service in each year since its inception.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe Immigration Service, in its present form, was established in 1920. Staffing figures for years prior to 1953 are not readily available. The total number of staff in post on 1st January 1953 and on 1st January in subsequent years was as follows:
1953 … … 361 1954 … … 358 1955 … … 357 1956 … … 372 1957 … … 414 1958 … … 436 1959 … … 442 1960 … … 446 1961 … … 451 1962 … … 497 1963 … … 535 1964 … … 558 1965 … … 548 1966 … … 659 1967 … … 752 1968 … … 761 1969 … … 849 1970 … … 1,017 1971 … … 1,139 1972 … … 1,272 1973 … … 1,297 1974 … … 1,404 1975 … … 1,508 1976 … … 1,507 1977 … … 1,513 1978 … … 1,515 The cost of the Immigration Service since its inception cannot be distinguished readily from other expenditure on Home Office staff of which it forms a part. The salary cost for the 1977–78 financial year is estimated to be approximately £9 million.