§ Mr. Hordernasked the Prime Minister how many people were employed in non-departmental public bodies in each of the last 10 years to the latest convenient date.
§ The Prime MinisterThe information for the five years to 1 April 1983 is as follows:
1 April Staff Numbers 1979 217,000 1980 219,864 1981 214,601 1982 205,464 1983 200,871 Information for the earlier years is not held centrally and could not be collected without disproportionate cost.
The figures relate to bodies which carry out executive, regulatory and similar operational functions, and which employ staff on their own account. Advisory bodies and tribunals normally receive staffing support from their sponsor Departments, and the numbers are not recorded centrally.