§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Prime Minister if she will compare the amount and percentage by which the Civil Service has been reduced since 1979 with manpower changes in (a) local government, (b) the National Health Service and (c) nationalised industries throughout the United Kingdom.
§ The Prime MinisterThe United Kingdom figures for full-time equivalents are as follows:
155W
1979 1983 Change '000 '000 '000 Per cent. *Civil Service 732 649 -83 -11.4 †Local Authorities 2,368 2,278 -90 -3.8 ‡National Health Service 975 1038 +63 +6.5 ║Nationalised Industries 1,696 1,444 -252 -14.9 * As at April each year. The comparable employment figure for January 1984 was 633,000, 13.6 per cent, down on 1979. † As at June each year.
‡ As at September each year.
║ As at June each year. To provide figures on a comparable basis to the other groups the figure for 1979 excludes 122,000 employees of corporations which were subsequently privatised.
Further figures on public sector employment in the years 1977–1983 will be published in the March issue of Economic Trends.