HC Deb 24 January 1992 vol 202 cc350-1W
Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total number of staff employed directly by local authorities, in England and Wales, in each year since 1979.

Mr. Key

The information for England is as listed. Staffing levels of local authorities in Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

Staffing levels at June of each year
Year Total staff (full-time plus part-time) Total (full-time equivalents)
1979 2,512,593 1,975,170
1980 2,474,900 1,951,070
1981 2,420,956 1,914,368
1982 2,392,851 1,887,175
1983 2,405,448 1,892,603
1984 2,409,561 1,891,823
1985 2,419,293 1,892,117

Staffing levels at June of each year
Year Total staff (full-time plus part-time) Total (full-time equivalents)
1986 2,448,709 1,902,192
1987 2,490,518 1,922,430
1988 2,514,330 1,929,719
1989 2,453,922 1,886,548
1990 2,480,059 1,900,965
1991 2,457,751 1,885,941

Source: Joint Staffing Watch for England.

Note:—Three major events caused significant losses from the local authority sector during the period covered by this table. The numbers involved are:

  1. 1. Approximately 6,300 ftes due to the abolition of the GLC and the metropolitan county councils in 1986.
  2. 2. Around 14,500 ftes due to the change in status of the local authority bus and municipal airport staff in 1986 and 1987.
  3. 3. Around 39,000 ftes when polytechnics and higher education institutions transferred from the public to the personal sector in 1989.