Civil Servants

HC Deb 22 July 1996 vol 282 cc98-9W

12. Sir David Knox

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many civil servants were employed by the Government and by Government agencies at the most recent count; and what was the figure in May 1979. [36792]

Mr. Willetts

In 1979, when we came to office, there were 735,000 civil servants. There are now 494,000: a fall of 33 per cent.