§ Lord Rentonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the number of staff in post in central Government departments on 1st October 1981.
§ The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Baroness Young)At 1st October 1981 there were 679,800 in post—534,400 non-industrial and 145,400 industrial. There have been reductions of 4,600 since 1st July 1981 and 52,500 since the Government took office. The size of the Civil Service is now at its lowest for over 14 years. We are well on course for our planned reduction to 630,000 by April 1984, which will mean the smallest Civil Service since the end of the war.