§ Mr. Churchillasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants were employed by the Ministry of Defence in each of the past 20 years; and what are the planned numbers to the year 1984–85.
§ Mr. PymCentral records of civilian strengths started in 1964 when the unified Ministry of Defence was formed. The number of civil servants employed by the Ministry of Defence at 1 April each year since 1964, including staff in the Royal Ordnance Factories and showing in addition locally-engaged civilians overseas, was as follows:
United Kingdom-based staff Locally-engaged civilians overseas 1964 285,900 114,300 1965 278,300 100,200 1966 274,700 98,900 1967 274,900 94,500 1968 273,200 82,300 1969 263,300 74,800 1970 257,900 68,700 1971 253,500 63,800 1972 275,100 48,500 1973 272,700 47,000 1974 267,100 47,500 1975 266,600 50,000 1976 266,200 44,600 1977 258,700 42,200 1978 250,400 40,000 1979 247,700 38,200 1980 239,800 36,400 The figures are not, however, directly comparable and understate the true reductions made over this period because changes in departmental functions have affected Ministry of Defence responsibilities. As one example, the inception of the Procurement Executive and its incorporation in the Ministry of Defence in May 1971 added some 28,000 836W to the numbers recorded for the Ministry of Defence.
We shall contribute our fair share of the reduction in the size of the Civil Service from 732,000 on 1 April 1979 to 630,000 on 1 April 1984, announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 13 May.—[Vol. 984. c. 1050–61.]. But plans for target numbers year-by-year up to 1984 are not available.