THE COMMISSION FOR RACIAL EQUALITY

HL Deb 21 July 1980 vol 412 cc186-7WA

Lord BOYD-CARPENTER

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many staff are now employed by the Commission for Racial Equality, and what is the cost of the Commission to public funds in the current year; whether these figures represent an increase or decrease as compared with the previous financial year; and what reductions are planned for next year.

Lord BELSTEAD

At the end of June 1980, the approved complement of the Commission for Racial Equality was 229 and there were 216½ staff in post. The cost of the Commission to public funds in the present financial year will not be known until the end of that year but the provision made in the Supply Estimates is £7.036 million at out-turn prices; in real terms this represents an increase of less than 0.5 per cent. in the revised estimated expenditure of the Commission for 1979–80. The Commission have been asked to make a reduction in their staff complement to accommodate the cost of the recent Civil Service pay settlement within the published limits. The provision to be made for the Commission in 1981–82 has not yet been decided.