Civil Service Manpower

HC Deb 25 February 1981 vol 999 c383W

Mr. Michael Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish figures showing the size of the Northern Ireland Civil Service on 1 January of each year since 1971

Mr. Alison

Figures at 1 January are not readily available prior to 1977. The size of the Northern Ireland Civil Service at the nearest available date is as follows:

	Number
June 1971	16,873
June 1972	18,331
June 1973	20,591
June 1974	30,154
June 1975	33,537
June 1976	33,153
January 1977	33,455
January 1978	32,929
January 1979	33,287
January 1980	32,553
January 1981	31,904

The numbers include Northern Ireland Civil Service staff on secondment to the Northern Ireland Office, the police authority and the court service.

The sharp increase in the 1974 figure is due to the transfer of functions at 1 October 1973 on the reorganisation of local government.