HC Deb 21 November 1995 vol 267 cc95-6W
Mr. Harry Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people are estimated to be currently employed by local authorities; at what cost; what were the figures in 1979; and if he will make a statement. [1479]

Sir Paul Beresford

The total numbers of general services staff employed by local authorities in England were as follows:

Thousands
Full-time Part-time Total staff
June 1979 1,469 876 2,345
June 1995 1,092 875 1,967

There have been various changes in general services employment in the period arising from changes in the functions of local government. Four major events caused significant reductions from the local authority sector:

  1. (1) Approximately 6,300 full-time equivalents—FTEs—due to the abolition of the GLC and the metropolitan county councils in 1986.
  2. (2) Around 14,500 full-time equivalents—FTEs—due to changes in the status of local authority bus and municipal airport staff in 1986 and 1987.
  3. (3) Around 39,000 full-time equivalents—FTEs—when polytechnics and higher education institutions transferred from local authority control in 1989.
  4. (4) Around 97,000 full-time equivalents—FTEs—when further education institutions became the responsibility of the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) on 1 April 1993.

Comparable figures for the cost of local authority employment are not available because of the various changes in function of local government and because of changes in the way estimates of employment costs have been compiled. In 1994–95, the latest year for which figures are available, the total cost of wages and salaries for all local authorities, including law and order authorities, was £33 billion.

Mr. Rendel

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the numbers of people employed by each local authority in England in(a) 1979, (b) 1990 and (c) currently; and if he will make a statement. [358]

Sir Paul Beresford

[holding answer 20 November 1995]: The total numbers of general services staff employed by local authorities in England were as follows:

Thousands
June 1979 June 1990 June 1995
Full time 1,469 1,327 1,091
Part time 876 955 875
Full time equivalents 1,813 1,709 11,468
1 Estimated.

There have been various changes in general services employment in the period arising from changes in the functions of local government. Four major events caused significant reductions from the local authority sector;

  1. (1) Approximately 6,300 full-time equivalents—FTEs—due to the abolition of GLC and the metropolitan county councils in 1986.
    2. 96
  2. (2) Around 14,500 full-time equivalents—FTEs—due to changes in the status of local authority bus and municipal airport staff in 1986 and 1987.
  3. (3) Around 39,000 full-time equivalents—FTEs—when polytechnics and higher education institutions transferred from local authority control in 1989.
  4. (4) Around 97,000 full-time equivalents—FTEs—when further education institutions became the responsibility of the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC on 1 April 1993.

Tables covering figures for individual authorities have been placed in the Library of the House.