§ Sir Eldon GriffithsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing(a) the changes in numbers in central Government non-industrial staff in each year since 1979 and (b) comparable figures for local government, broken down by county and district.
§ Mr. Norman LamontThe numbers of central Government non-industrial staff, on a full-time equivalent basis, in post as at 1 July are as follows:
Thousands 1979 560.2 1980 544.9 1981 537.1 1982 523.2 1983 514.8 1984 500.9 1985 496.0 1986 501.8 1987 507.7 1988 504.6 1989 498.9 In respect of local government, information in the form and detail apparently requested could be assembled only at disproportionate cost. Employment information which is readily available, for each county and district in England, is in terms of headcount, and is given for the latest period and a year earlier in quarterly press notices issued on behalf of the joint staffing watch through the Department of the Environment. Copies of these press notices and similar joint staffing watch data for Scotland and Wales are available in the Library. Figures of total local authority employment at mid-year are contained in the article on employment in the public and private sector, published in the December 1989 edition of Economic Trends.