§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Prime Minister if she will state the total number of (a) civil servants and (b) all other public sector employees in each of the years 1979 and 1985, giving in each case the percentage decrease and the combined percentage decrease since 1979.
§ The Prime MinisterThe United Kingdom figures (thousands) on a full-time equivalents basis are as follows:
Other public sector Mid-year Civil Service Actual Excluding corporations subsequently privatised 1979 724 5,865 5,483 1980 700 5,845 5,460 1981 684 5,707 5,405 1982 659 5,547 5,276 1983 643 5,455 5,205 1984 619 5,388 5,144 1985 596 5,063 5,063 Source: Her Majesty's Treasury and Economic Trends December 1985.Between 1979 and 1985 there was a fall in employment in the Civil Service of 18 per cent. and in the rest of the public sector of 14 per cent.; total public sector employment fell by 14 per cent. Excluding the effects on employment levels of companies privatised there was a fall in employment in the rest of the public sector of 8 per cent. and in the total public sector of 9 per cent.