Civil Service (Hansard, 29 April 1985)

§ Mr. Ralph Howell
asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to the reply given to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North on 10 April 1984, Official Report, column 154, if she will compare the amount and percentage by which the Civil Service has been reduced, with manpower changes throughout the United Kingdom in (a) local government, (b) the National Health Service, (c) nationalised industries and (d) all other persons in receipt of payment of any kind including allowances, engaged in the public sector, including those listed in "Public Bodies 1984" for each year since 1979.

§ The Prime Minister
The available information is as follows:

Wages, salaries, etc. of public sector

1979 £ million 1980 £ million 1981 £ million 1982 £ million 1983 £ million

Local authorities 12,440 15,544 17,888 19,200 21,199

National Health Service 4,677 6,312 7,344 7,513 8,618

6W

Thousands headcount^*

'000 Change '000 per cent.

Civil Service

1979 739

1980 714 –24 –3.3

1981 698 –17 –2.3

1982 671 –27 –3.8

1983 654 –18 –2.6

1984 630 –24 –3.6

Local authorities

1979 2,997

1980 2,956 –41 –1.4

1981 2,899 –57 –1.9

1982 2,865 –34 –1.2

1983 2,879 +14 +0.5

1984 2,884 +5 +0.2

National Health Service

1979 1,152

1980 1,174 +22 –1.9

1981 1,207 +33 +2.8

1982 1,227 +20 +1.7

1983 1,227 — +0.0

1984 1,223 –4 –0.3

Nationalised industries^†

1979 1,726

1980 1,697 –29 –1.7

1981 1,618 –79 –4.7

1982 1,540 –78 –4.8

1983 1,465 –75 –4.9

1984 1,416 –49 –3.3

Other public sector^†

1979 678

1980 694 +16 +2.4

1981 691 –3 –0.4

1982 675 –16 –2.3

1983 679 +4 +0.6

1984 677 –2 –0.3

^* The figures shown relate to the mid-points of the years shown. Reductions and percentage changes are based on unrounded figures.

† To provide figures on a comparable basis, the public corporations figures exclude employees of corporations which were privatised bCore June 1984.

Sources: March 1985 Economic Trends pages 91 to 99 and Her Majesty's Treasury.

§ Mr. Ralph Howell
asked the Prime Minister what was the estimated total expenditure in 1984–85 and for each year since 1979 for each of (a) local government, (b) the National Health Service, (c) nationalised industries and (d) all other persons in receipt of payment of any kind, including allowances, engaged in the public sector, including those listed in "Public Bodies 1984", separately, and in total, including all pay, allowances, payments of all kinds, national insurance, superannuation, and all costs related to the employment or appointment of staff within them.

§ The Prime Minister
The information is as follows:
7W

1979 £ million 1980 £ million 1981 £ million 1982 £ million 1983 £ million

Public corporations 12,753 15,143 16,205 17,211 17,755

Her Majesty's Forces 2,548 3,047 3,387 3,692 4,022

Other central Government 4,659 5,934 6,581 7,192 7,566

Source: United Kingdom National Accounts 1984 edition.
The figures shown above include wages, salaries, employers' contributions to national insurance and superannuation payments.

§ Mr. Ralph Howell
asked the Prime Minister how many staff in percentage and absolute terms have been removed from each of the following categories in each year since 1979 as a result of privatisation measures: (a) local government, (b) the National Health Service, (c) nationalised industries and (d) all other persons in receipt of payment of any kind, including allowances, engaged in the public sector, including those listed in "Public Bodies 1984".

§ The Prime Minister
Data on staff savings from contracting out in local government and the National Health Service are not collected centrally. From 1979 to mid-1984 privatisation of public corporations reduced public sector employment by some 115,000. Details are given on page 94 of the March 1985 issue of Economic

Weekly rate at November 1984 £ Weekly level of earnings at which basic benefit is extinguished £

1. Retirement Pension (RP)

^* Category A 35.80 107.80

^* Category B (wife) 21.50 93.50

^† Category B (window) 35.80

^† Age Addition (over 80) 0.25

^† Non-contributory over 80's

pension

Higher rate 21.50

Lower rate

Adult Dependant 12.85

Age Addition (over 80) 0.25

2. Widows' Benefits (WB)

^† Widows' Allowance 50.10

^† Widowed Mothers' Allowance 35.80

^† Widows' Pension 35.80

3. Invalidity Pension (IVP)

single 34.25 Any earnings Small exception for permitted work with medical approval, earnings £23.50

Invalidity allowance

Higher rate 7.50

Middle rate 4.80

Lower rate 2.40

4. Unemployment Benefit (UB)

Under pension age single 28.45 2.00 On a daily basis

Over pension age single 35.80 2.00 On a daily basis

5. Sickness Benefit (SB)

Under pension age single 27.25 Any earnings Small exception for permitted work with medical approval, earnings £23.50

Over pension age single 35.25

6. Maternity Allowance (MA) 27.25 Any earnings

7. Attendance Allowance

^† Higher rate 28.60

^† Lower rate 19.10

8. Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA)

^† single 21.50

9. Invalid Care Allowance(ICA)

8W
Trends. Privatisation of British Telecom plc in November 1984 reduced public sector employment by a further 240,000.
Between 1 April 1979 and 1 April 1984 the reduction in civil service numbers as a result of privatisation (including contracting out) was 17,000.

Wages, salaries, etc. of public sector
	1979 £ million	1980 £ million	1981 £ million	1982 £ million	1983 £ million
Local authorities	12,440	15,544	17,888	19,200	21,199
National Health Service	4,677	6,312	7,344	7,513	8,618

Thousands headcount^*
	'000	Change '000	per cent.
Civil Service
1979	739
1980	714	–24	–3.3
1981	698	–17	–2.3
1982	671	–27	–3.8
1983	654	–18	–2.6
1984	630	–24	–3.6
Local authorities
1979	2,997
1980	2,956	–41	–1.4
1981	2,899	–57	–1.9
1982	2,865	–34	–1.2
1983	2,879	+14	+0.5
1984	2,884	+5	+0.2
National Health Service
1979	1,152
1980	1,174	+22	–1.9
1981	1,207	+33	+2.8
1982	1,227	+20	+1.7
1983	1,227	—	+0.0
1984	1,223	–4	–0.3
Nationalised industries^†
1979	1,726
1980	1,697	–29	–1.7
1981	1,618	–79	–4.7
1982	1,540	–78	–4.8
1983	1,465	–75	–4.9
1984	1,416	–49	–3.3
Other public sector^†
1979	678
1980	694	+16	+2.4
1981	691	–3	–0.4
1982	675	–16	–2.3
1983	679	+4	+0.6
1984	677	–2	–0.3
^* The figures shown relate to the mid-points of the years shown. Reductions and percentage changes are based on unrounded figures.
† To provide figures on a comparable basis, the public corporations figures exclude employees of corporations which were privatised bCore June 1984.

	Weekly rate at November 1984 £	Weekly level of earnings at which basic benefit is extinguished £
1. Retirement Pension (RP)
^* Category A	35.80	107.80
^* Category B (wife)	21.50	93.50
^† Category B (window)	35.80
^† Age Addition (over 80)	0.25
^† Non-contributory over 80's
pension
Higher rate	21.50
Lower rate
Adult Dependant	12.85
Age Addition (over 80)	0.25
2. Widows' Benefits (WB)
^† Widows' Allowance	50.10
^† Widowed Mothers' Allowance	35.80
^† Widows' Pension	35.80
3. Invalidity Pension (IVP)
single	34.25	Any earnings	Small exception for permitted work with medical approval, earnings £23.50
Invalidity allowance
Higher rate	7.50
Middle rate	4.80
Lower rate	2.40
4. Unemployment Benefit (UB)
Under pension age single	28.45	2.00	On a daily basis
Over pension age single	35.80	2.00	On a daily basis
5. Sickness Benefit (SB)
Under pension age single	27.25	Any earnings	Small exception for permitted work with medical approval, earnings £23.50
Over pension age single	35.25
6. Maternity Allowance (MA)	27.25	Any earnings
7. Attendance Allowance
^† Higher rate	28.60
^† Lower rate	19.10
8. Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA)
^† single	21.50
9. Invalid Care Allowance(ICA)