HC Deb 06 April 1987 vol 114 cc108-9W
Mr. Rowe

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the budget expenditure of local authority social services departments in 1959, 1969 and in each year between 1979 and 1986.

Mr. Newton

Gross current expenditure by English local authority social services departments for each of the years 1978–79 to 1986–87 is shown in the table at cash and at 1986–87 prices. Revaluation to 1986–87 prices has been carried out by reference to the Gross Domestic Product deflator. Social services departments as such did not exist prior to 1 April 1971 so it is not possible to give comparable expenditure figures for years before then.

Gross current expenditure (£ million)
Cash 1986–87 prices
1978–79 1,263 2,459
1979–80 1,537 2,561
1980–81 1,893 2,658
1981–82 2,098 2,683
1982–83 2,304 2,747
1983–84 2,486 2,838
1984–85 2,638 2,886
1985–861 2,795 2,879
1986.872 3,131 3,131
1 Provisional.
2 Estimate based on local authority budgets.

Mr. Rowe

asked the Secretary, of State for Social Services what were the total staff numbers of local authority social services departments in 1959, 1969, and in each year between 1979 and 1986.

Mr. Newton

The total numbers of staff of local authority social services departments, expressed as whole-time equivalents, in each year between 1979 and 1985 (the latest year for which figures are available) are given in the table. Social services departments did not come into existence until 1 April 1971 and comparable figures for 1959 and 1969 are not available.

Staff of social services departments, expressed as whole-time equivalents 1979–85, England
As at 30 September Thousands1
1979 193.6
1980 199.0
1981 201.0
1982 203.4
1983 210.0
1984 212.9
19852 217.0
1 Some figures include estimates from information for earlier years.
2 Provisional.