Labour Statistics (Hansard, 13 February 1984)

§ Mr. Ralph Howell
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were working in the National Health Service, local government, the Civil Service and nationalised industries in the years 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983; what was the total public expenditure on

1979 1980 1981 1982 1983

National Health Service

Numbers employed†║ (thousands, 30 September) 1,171 1,202 1,237 1,250 1,240

Expenditure‡¶ (£ million, current and capital expenditure for financial year beginning 1 April) 10,675 13,600 15,308 16,679 17,574

Local government

Numbers employed†║ (thousands mid-year) 2,997 2,956 2,899 2,865 2,879

Expenditure‡¶ (£ million, current and capital expenditure for financial year beginning 1 April) 21,260 24,710 26,195 28,234 30,673

Civil Service

Numbers employed†● (thousands, 1 July) 739 714 698 671 654

Expenditure‡■ (£ million, pay costs for financial year beginning 1 April) 3,763 4,672 4,972 5,203 5,279

Nationalised industries

Numbers employed†║ (thousands mid-year) 1,777 1,744 1,586 1,485 1,404

Expenditure ^* ^* ^* ^* ^*

Total

Numbers employed† 6,684 6,616 6,420 6,271 6,177

Expenditure ^* ^* ^* ^* ^*

Notes

^* Not available.

† Civil Service manpower totals exclude the staff of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, hence the figures given are in respect of Great Britain only. All other manpower figures shown are for the United Kingdom. All manpower numbers are expressed as headcounts, with part—time staff counted as whole units. Figures on the alternative whole-time equivalent basis (which is more commonly used for the NHS and the CS) are not readily available for all four sectors.

‡ Expenditure statistics for the years 1979–80, 1980–81 and 1981–82 are outturn figures. Totals for 1982–83 and 1983–84 represent estimated outturn and planned expenditure. All expenditure figures shown are in respect of Great Britain only. Pay costs for the Civil Service include the cost of the employers national insurance contribution, and exclude the cost of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

║ Central Statistical Office.

¶ The Government's Expenditure Plans 1983–84, Cmnd. 8789 (tables 2.8, 2.11, 2.15 and 2.16).

● Her Majesty's Treasury and Civil Service Department records.

■ Chief Secretary's Memorandum on the 1983–84 Estimates (table 2).

§ Mr. Ralph Howell
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is (a) the total number of civil servants employed in the United Kingdom in central Government Departments, and staff employed in local government in the years 1960, 1970, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983, (b) the percentage of total population and total work force these figures represent for those years, (c) the value of the total salaries paid to these two groups for the same years and (d) the percentage of gross domestic product these salaries represent for those years; and if he will give any information he may have as to equivalent figures for France, West Germany, the United States of America and Japan.

§ Mr. Peter Rees
The relevant information is set out in the following table. The values of salaries for 1960 are not available, nor yet the value of salaries for local
64W
these services for each of those years; and if he will publish these numbers and costs both as a total and broken down between the four sectors mentioned.

§ Mr. Peter Rees
The relevant information is set out in the following table. Figures for public expenditure on nationalised industries and in total are not shown for the reasons set out in the reply given to my hon. Friend on 22 July 1983.
Care should be taken in comparing figures shown for the four sectors with each other and with those given in the reply mentioned above because there are differences in the coverage of items which are noted in the tables. Revised expenditure figures will be published shortly in the 1984 public expenditure White Paper.
government employees in 1983. The statistics shown for local government are for the whole of the United Kingdom; those for the Civil Service are for Great Britain since the values of salaries for the Northern Ireland Civil Service are not readily available.
It is not possible to give equivalent figures for other countries since the boundaries between the functions of central Government, local government, the rest of the public sector and the private sector are drawn differently. However A comparison of public services employment in the United Kingdom with five other European countries
which appeared in the December 1980 edition of Economic Trends gives, according to each country's own definitions, a comparison of the United Kingdom's general government manpower with France, West Germany and other countries. The article remarks that 65W a great deal of the variation in the comparative levels of general government employment reflects the extent to which state-funded organisations are regarded as being inside or outside general government

1960 1970 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983

CIVIL SERVICE (Great Britain)

Numbers employed^*(thousands 1 July) 652 716 739 714 698 671 654

Percentage of total population 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.2† ‡1.1

Percentage of total employed workforce 2.7 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.8

Total salaries† (£ million, for financial year beginning 1 April) n/a 1,109 3,424 4,251 4,545 4,785 ║4,895

Percentage of UK gross domestic product (financial year basis) n/a 2.1 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.7 n/a

LOCAL GOVERNMENT (United Kingdom)

Numbers employed^*(thousands, mid-year) 1,821 2,559 2,997 2,956 2,899 2,865 2,879

Percentage of total population 3.5 4.6 5.4 5.3 5.1 5.1 ‡5.1

Percentage of total employed workforce 7.5 10.3 11–8 11.7 11.9 11.9 12.1

Total salaries† (£ million, on a calendar year basis) n/a 2,945 12,305 15,329 17,615 18,809 n/a

Percentage of gross domestic product (calendar year basis) n/a 5.7 6.3 6.7 7.0 6.8 n/a

Notes:

^* Manpower statistics are given in headcount terms ie. part-time staff are counted as whole units. The Civil Service figures exclude those employed in the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the total population and labour force percentages for the Civil Service have been calculated on a Great Britain basis.

† Total salaries for the Civil Service are given for financial years and are in respect of Great Britain only. Local authority salaries are in respect of the United Kingdom and are given for calendar years.

‡ Estimated

║ Supply Estimates 1983–84.

Sources:
Central Statistical Office
Her Majesty's Treasury and Civil Service Department quarterly manpower returns 1983–84 Memorandum by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on the Estimates

	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
National Health Service
Numbers employed†║ (thousands, 30 September)	1,171	1,202	1,237	1,250	1,240
Expenditure‡¶ (£ million, current and capital expenditure for financial year beginning 1 April)	10,675	13,600	15,308	16,679	17,574
Local government
Numbers employed†║ (thousands mid-year)	2,997	2,956	2,899	2,865	2,879
Expenditure‡¶ (£ million, current and capital expenditure for financial year beginning 1 April)	21,260	24,710	26,195	28,234	30,673
Civil Service
Numbers employed†● (thousands, 1 July)	739	714	698	671	654
Expenditure‡■ (£ million, pay costs for financial year beginning 1 April)	3,763	4,672	4,972	5,203	5,279
Nationalised industries
Numbers employed†║ (thousands mid-year)	1,777	1,744	1,586	1,485	1,404
Expenditure	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*
Total
Numbers employed†	6,684	6,616	6,420	6,271	6,177
Expenditure	^*	^*	^*	^*	^*
Notes
^* Not available.
† Civil Service manpower totals exclude the staff of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, hence the figures given are in respect of Great Britain only. All other manpower figures shown are for the United Kingdom. All manpower numbers are expressed as headcounts, with part—time staff counted as whole units. Figures on the alternative whole-time equivalent basis (which is more commonly used for the NHS and the CS) are not readily available for all four sectors.
‡ Expenditure statistics for the years 1979–80, 1980–81 and 1981–82 are outturn figures. Totals for 1982–83 and 1983–84 represent estimated outturn and planned expenditure. All expenditure figures shown are in respect of Great Britain only. Pay costs for the Civil Service include the cost of the employers national insurance contribution, and exclude the cost of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
║ Central Statistical Office.
¶ The Government's Expenditure Plans 1983–84, Cmnd. 8789 (tables 2.8, 2.11, 2.15 and 2.16).
● Her Majesty's Treasury and Civil Service Department records.
■ Chief Secretary's Memorandum on the 1983–84 Estimates (table 2).

	1960	1970	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
CIVIL SERVICE (Great Britain)
Numbers employed^*(thousands 1 July)	652	716	739	714	698	671	654
Percentage of total population	1.3	1.3	1.4	1.3	1.3	1.2†	‡1.1
Percentage of total employed workforce	2.7	3.0	3.0	2.9	2.9	2.9	2.8
Total salaries† (£ million, for financial year beginning 1 April)	n/a	1,109	3,424	4,251	4,545	4,785	║4,895
Percentage of UK gross domestic product (financial year basis)	n/a	2.1	1.7	1.8	1.8	1.7	n/a
LOCAL GOVERNMENT (United Kingdom)
Numbers employed^*(thousands, mid-year)	1,821	2,559	2,997	2,956	2,899	2,865	2,879
Percentage of total population	3.5	4.6	5.4	5.3	5.1	5.1	‡5.1
Percentage of total employed workforce	7.5	10.3	11–8	11.7	11.9	11.9	12.1
Total salaries† (£ million, on a calendar year basis)	n/a	2,945	12,305	15,329	17,615	18,809	n/a
Percentage of gross domestic product (calendar year basis)	n/a	5.7	6.3	6.7	7.0	6.8	n/a
Notes:
^* Manpower statistics are given in headcount terms ie. part-time staff are counted as whole units. The Civil Service figures exclude those employed in the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the total population and labour force percentages for the Civil Service have been calculated on a Great Britain basis.
† Total salaries for the Civil Service are given for financial years and are in respect of Great Britain only. Local authority salaries are in respect of the United Kingdom and are given for calendar years.
‡ Estimated
║ Supply Estimates 1983–84.