HL Deb 25 March 2002 vol 633 c30WA
Lord Roberts of Conwy

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What has been the increase in staffing numbers at the Wales Office, including the National Assembly for Wales, since the dissolution of the Welsh Office; and what has been the increase in staffing costs in cash and constant terms over the same period. [HL2799]

Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton

Since devolution on 1 July 1999 and the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales and the Wales Office, staffing for the Wales Office has increased from 38 to 441. The increase in staffing costs has been £406,000 in cash terms and £389,000 in constant terms (as measured by the GDP deflator at market prices)2.

Equivalent figures for the National Assembly for Wales are a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.

1 The figures are shown on a staff-year basis and include the number of special advisers and overtime calculated on a staff year full-time equivalent. The figure for 1999–2000 has been calculated pro rata because the Wales Office was in existence only for three-quarters of that year (1 July 1999 to 31 March 2000). The figure for this year so far has also been calculated pro rata.

2 The figures for this year so far include the costs up to and including February 2002 and are calculated pro rata.