HC Deb 04 June 1985 vol 80 cc111-2W
Mr. Neil Hamilton

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of staff-in-post in central Government Departments at 1 April.

Mr. Peter Rees

At 1 April 1985 there were 599,026 staff-in-post — 497,967 non-industrials and 101,059 industrials the number of civil servants has fallen by 133,249, or 18.2 per cent., since the beginning of the last Parliament.

After adjustment for a revised MOD target, the latest staff-in-post figures show that the 1 April 1985 aggregate target was more than achieved by some 4,700.