§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the proposed reductions in the number of civil servants employed in his Department; and what reductions so far have been carried out.
§ Mr. David HowellMy Department's manpower costs provision is expected to reduce from the equivalent of about 1,300 staff in 1979–80 to about 1,160 in 1982–83. The number of staff in post on 1 April 1980 was 1,263 compared with 1,267 on 1 May 1979. This represents a saving of 173W 24 staff across the Department as a whole, offset by an increase of 20 staff to meet the Department's expanded work load in connection with the development and monitoring of the United Kingdom's offshore oil and gas reserves, consequent upon a transfer of functions from BNOC.