§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in accordance with procedures laid out in the Civil Service Department's guide on non-departmental public bodies, he has recently 350W carried out checks on staff numbers and gradings in the Natural Environment Research Council; and whether these have enabled him to identify areas for savings in expenditure and manpower in either the council or his Department.
351W
§ Sir Keith JosephYes. Net savings in NERC expenditure and manpower have been identified. Returns of staff numbers and gradings are submitted to the Department annually, and were supplemented by staff inspections. In these three years, NERC staff inspectors have reviewed adminstrative and technical support staff in NERC headquarters and in all but one research unit.