§ Mr. Lesterasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has made of the additional Civil Service staff required in central Government Departments to deal with additional work falling upon central Government as a result of the proposed abolition of the metropolitan county councils.
§ Mr. WaldegraveIt is proposed to transfer only a small number of tasks to central Government as a result 667W of the abolition of the metropolitan county councils. Detailed estimates of any resulting changes in manpower cannot be made until final proposals on reorganisation are produced in the light of responses to consultation; but any changes would be within the overall planned totals for Civil Service manpower announced by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary on 17 November.—[Vol. 48, c. 554–58.]