§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the proposed reductions in the number of civil servants employed in the departments for which he is responsible; and what reduction so far has been carried out.
§ Mr. Peter ReesIncluding staff on short-term engagements, the number of staff in the Chancellor's departments at 1 April 1980 was 8,534 lower than when the Government took office. A further reduction of the order of 3,900 staff is expected to come from the continuing implementation of the reductions agreed as part of the review of the size and cost of the Civil Service, as announced by the Minister of State, Civil Service Department, on 6 December 1979—Vol. 975, c. 627–640—from the 2½ per cent. reduction in manpower costs in 1980–81 announced by the Minister of State on 14 March 1980—Vol. 980, c. 748–749—and from measures proposed in the Chancellor's Budget Statement. Taken together, the eventual reductions are expected to amount to well over 9 per cent.