§ Lord BOYD-CARPENTERasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many staff are now employed by the Equal Opportunities Commission, and what is the cost to public funds of the Commission 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 BELSTEADAt the end of June 1980, the approved complement of the Equal Opportunities Commission was 171 and there were 161 staff in post. The cost of the Commission to public funds in the present financial year will not be known until the end of the year but the provision made in the Supply Estimates is £2.71 million at out-turn prices; in real terms this is the same as 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.