HC Deb 02 May 1991 vol 190 cc299-300W
Mr. Dobson

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total sum paid out in fees by the Inland Revenue to management consultants in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what is his estimate for 1990–91 and budget for 1991–92.

Mr. Maude

Information relating to the financial years 1979–80 to 1987–88 inclusive is not readily available and

Permanent staff in post: statistics division
1979–85
1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
Grade SIP SIP Comp1 SIP Comp SIP Comp SIP Comp SIP Comp SIP
Grade 32 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Grade 52 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Grade 6–72 17.5 19.5 17 18.5 17 17 17 15 17 17 17 17
SEO 8 8 6 8 6 7 7 8 6 8 7 6
HEO 26 28.5 29 29.5 31 29 29 31 29 29 31 28.5
Senior assistant statistician 3 3 7 3 7 4 7 3 7 2 7 2
EO 54 59 62 54 60 49 49 47 42 46 39 36
Assistant statistician 2 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 3
AO 95 91 65 73 44 45 37 38 29 35 27 27
AA 43.5 42 29 37 19 21 17 18 13 12 13 11
Total 253 256 220 229 189 179 168 165 148 155 146 135.5

1986–91
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991
Grade Comp SIP Comp SIP Comp SIP Comp SIP Comp SIP Comp SIP
Grade 32 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Grade 52 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Grade 6–72 17 18 18 17 18 16 20 18 22 21 22 22
SEO 7 6 8 8 8 8 10 9 10 10 11.5 11
HEO 31 27 31 27 31 33 35 33 37 32 37 34
Senior assistant statistician 7 2 8 3 8 3 8 4 5 5 5 5
EO 39 46 42 48 42 50 42 39 46 51 45.5 51
Assistant statistician 0 5 0 3 0 2 0 2 3 2 3 2
AO 26 26 26 23 26 27 26 27 28 26 26.5 25
AA 14 13 14 13 14 14 14 13 14 13 14 11
Total 146 148 152 147 152 158 160 150 170 165 169.5 166

cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost. The spend on management consultants—excluding computer-related consultancies—for the remaining years is as follows:

Year £K
1988–89 1,253
1989–90 1,468
11990–91 2,741
21991–92 1,892
1 Forecast outturn.
2 Budget.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give for each year from 1979–80, including 1991–92, the number of staff actually employed on 1 April and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, by grade, in the statistical divisions in the Inland Revenue; and if he will differentiate between staff in statistical posts and staff in administrative posts.

Mr. Maude

[holding answer 1 May 1991]: The information is in the table.

Complements are not available for years before 1981.

At the senior level of the service, where management forms a major component of most jobs, there are servicewide common pay and grading arrangements. These unified grades 1 to 7 are known as the open structure and cover grades from permanent secretary level to grade 7 level. Within the unified grades there are no formal barriers to movement between the former occupational groups—for example, scientists, administrators, statisticians. Each post should be filled by the person best equipped in terms of skills, ability and experience.