§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the manpower savings that have already been made in each of the Northern Ireland Departments; and if he will provide an estimate of the further savings which he intends to make during the forthcoming financial year.
§ Mr. RossiDuring the financial year 1979–80 the number of posts within the Northern Ireland Departments has been reduced by 564 as follows:
Dept. of Civil Service 38 Dept. of Finance 101 Dept. of Manpower Services 60 Dept. of Agriculture Northern Ireland 173 Dept. of Commerce 39 Dept. of Education Northern Ireland 0 Dept. of Environment 147 Dept. of Health and Social Services 6 In accordance with the announcement about cash limits made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 14 March, there will be manpower reductions in the Northern Ireland Departments during the financial year 1980–81 of the order of 2½ per cent. This will be in addition to that part of the continuing programme of savings announced by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Civil Service Department which will fall to be made in the financial year 1980–81. The effects of this reduction—which will not apply to staff vitally concerned with law and order—have not yet been determined by the Northern Ireland Departments.