HC Deb 06 July 1992 vol 211 cc32-3W
Mr. Harry Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people served in the Overseas Development Administration(a) in May 1979 and (b) currently; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The numbers of permanent Overseas Development Administration staff in post were:

1979 1992
Overseas Development Administration Headquarters 1,375.5 1,229.3
Scientific Units (now the Natural Resources Institute) 628.5 466.2

The 1992 headquarters figure takes account of the transfer of overseas pensions work to the Overseas Development Administration from the Crown Agents in 1987, when 112 staff transferred with the work. The 1979 figure for the scientific units excludes 346 staff of the directorate of overseas surveys which was merged with Ordnance Survey in 1984.

Comparing like with like, rationalisation and efficiency measures introduced during the period have led to a reduction overall of 21 per cent. in the total staff in the Overseas Development Administration.