§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Prime Minister if she will make a feasibility study of imposing a moratorium on recruitment to all administrative grades of local government; what reductions in numbers would result after a moratorium of one year; and what would be the financial saving.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government have no statutory powers to implement a moratorium on local authority recruitment; it is for local authorities themselves to decide how best to meet the spending targets we have set. We have emphasised the importance of manpower economies if the targets are to be met. We have also promoted the widest publication of information about manpower levels, authority by authority and service by service. No information is available centrally about the number and salary grade of new recruits to local government.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Prime Minister if she will make a feasibility study of imposing a moratorium on all recruitment to the Civil Service; what reduction in manpower numbers would result after a moratorium of one year; and what would be the financial saving.
§ The Prime MinisterLast year some 55,000 left the non-industrial Home Civil Service and in the last two years we have recruited about 48,000 each year. I understand that Departments are recruiting only where they regard it as essential for the maintenance of services. Some Departments have recruited virtually no staff this year. On average the cost of one civil servant, including overheads, is over £10,000 a year at current pay rates.