§ Ms. QuinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each standard planning region of England(a) the number of employees of his Department, (b) the amount spent in wages and salaries and (c) the proportion of total expenditure in each region by his Department which is represented by personnel costs.
§ Mr. HurdThe total number of permanent staff employed by the Home Office at 1 April 1988 was 39,228. Total Home Office expenditure on salaries and wages for 1987–88 amounted to £593 million, which represented about 53 per cent. of total direct Home Office expenditure for the year. A breakdown of these figures by standard planning region is not available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department's staff are permitted to give progress reports and case workers' direct telephone numbers to(a) the general public and (b) representatives of commercial organisations; if he will renew the relevant guidance to staff; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RentonCase workers ae generally encouraged to give progress reports, and direct telephone numbers, to members of the public who have submitted applications and to their representatives. This is, of course, subject to case workers satisfying themselves as to the identity and relevance of the caller to the case in question. I see no need for general guidance on this at present.