§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest joint staff watch figures for local authority staffs in England; and how the figures compare with those for one and two years previously.
§ Mr. KingThe latest available figures show that at September 1980 a total of 1,931,949 full-time and full-time equivalent staff were employed in local authorities in England. This was a reduction of 31,975— 1.6 per cent.—on the total for September 1979 and 15,482— 0.8 per cent.—on the total for September 1978. All figures exclude staff employed under the Government's special temporary employment programme. Figures for December 1980 are to be published shortly.