§ Sir David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants were employed by his Department in May 1979; how many are employed in February 1982; and what has been the percentage change; in each case how many were first division civil servants; and what has been the percentage change in their numbers.
§ Mr. PattieThe total number of Ministry of Defence United Kingdom based civil servants employed at 1 April 1979 was 247,660 and that at 1 January 1982 was 221,534. The reduction of 26,126 represents 10.5 per cent. In the same period, the number of locally engaged civilians overseas fell from 38,204 to 34,854 which is a reduction of 3,350 or 8.8 per cent.
Although the term "first division civil servants" is not recognised Civil Service terminology, the number of staff in the grade of principal and above in the administration group and in administrative posts in the open structure was 894 at 1 April 1979 and 825 at 1 January 1982, a reduction of 7.7 per cent. In the same period the number of staff at principal level and above in the professional and technology and the science groups together with engineer, science and constructor posts in the open structure fell from 3,476 to 3,389, a reduction of 2.5 per cent.