§ 44. Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on hisplans to reduce staff in his Department.
§ Mr. FowlerI plan to reduce the number of staff in my Department to 10,700 by 1 April 1984—a reduction of 23 per cent, in the period since 1 April 1979. I am also making a saving of a further 10 per cent.—1,600 public sector staff—by phasing out the road construction sub-units. Taking this into account, the overall effect will be to reduce the number of staff working directly for my Department and on its payroll by about a third.