§ Mr. Wrigglesworthasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the staff establishment of his Department on 1 April 1979 and on 1 April of the current year; and what was the shortfall on these figures, if any, and the grades and geographical regions where the shortfall occurred.
§ Mr. Humphrey AtkinsThe staff establishment of the Northern Ireland 411W Office as published in the Main Estimates for 1979–80 and 1980–81 was as follows:
Staff Establishment (including UK and Nl Civil Servants and Prison Officers)
1 April 1979 4,650 1 April 1980 4,520 On the same dates there were 450 and 370 fewer staff in posts, respectively.
I am responsible also for the Northern Ireland Civil Service serving in the Northern Ireland Departments. The equivalent details for these are:
1 April 1979 31,010 1 April 1980 30,000 The staff in post figures were 800 and 720 respectively fewer than these.
The information requested about grades and geographical regions in respect of the shortfall is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost, though the great majority of the vacancies occurred, of course, in Northern Ireand.