Staff Numbers (Hansard, 18 March 2002)

§ The Solicitor-General

[holding answer 14 March 2002]: The total numbers of staff employed by my own Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, over the last 10 years are included in the Treasury Solicitor's Department figures. Records are not available for the years 1992 to 1994.

In the Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible, details are as follows:

Crown Prosecution Service

The Crown Prosecution Service has employed the following number of staff in each of the last 10 years:

5,920.5 in 1992
6,327.5 in 1993
6,386.5 in 1994
6,409 in 1995
6,202.5 in 1996
5,677 in 1997
5,461.5 in 1998
5,666.9 in 1999
5,562 in 2000
5,593.9 in 2001.

These figures include all lawyers and administrative staff. Casual staff numbers are not included.

Treasury Solicitor's Department

The Treasury Solicitor's Department has employed the following number of staff in each of the last 10 years:

Treasury Solicitor's Department

484.5 in 1992
363.5 in 1993
404 in 1994
387.8 in 1995
382.4 in 1996
378.2 in 1997
376.3 in 1998
394.6 in 1999
440 in 2000
476.2 in 2001

Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers

24 in 1995
26 in 1996
23 in 1997
30 in 1998
28 in 1999
30 in 2000
30.8 in 2001

Government Property Lawyers

125.5 in 1993
138 in 1994
135.6 in 1995
119.1 in 1996
118.1 in 1997
101.3 in 1998
82.2 in 1999.

Serious Fraud Office

The Serious Fraud Office was established in 1988. The numbers of staff employed by the Department since April 1988 are as follows:

63 in 1988–89
103 in 1990–91
117 in 1991–92
136 in 1992–93
138 in 1993–94
137 in 1994–95
162 in 1995–96
166 in 1996–97
154 in 1997–98
149 in 1998–99
170 in 1999–2000
178 in 2000–01.

The figures have been obtained from Serious Fraud Office annual reports. The report for 1989–90 does not quote staff numbers. There are no other historical records containing staff numbers.