§ Mr. Murphyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Mr. Finsberg) on 27 October, Official Report, c. 170 concerning the numbers of employees of the regional health authorities, what percentage the figures represent for each of the regional health authority population on each date.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe following table shows the NHS staff in terms of whole-time equivalents, as a percentage of each regional health authority population at the closest available dates to those requested in the question.
Staff* as percentage of population† Region 1978‡ 1983║ Northern 1.6 1.7 Yorkshire 1.6 1.7 Trent 1.5 1.6 East Anglian 1.4 1.6 North West Thames 1.6 1.7 North East Thames 1.8 2.0 South East Thames 1.8 1.9 South West Thames 1.6 1.7 Wessex 1.4 1.6 Oxford 1.4 1.4 South Western 1.6 1.7 South Midlands 1.5 1.6 Mersey 1.8 1.8 North Western 1.6 1.9 * Excludes locum and agency staff. † Managed population. ‡ Staff as at 30 September 1978, population as at mid 1978. ║ Staff as at 31 March 1983, population as at mid 1982.