§ Lord Greavesasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people (full-time equivalent) were employed in 2000 for purposes relating to elections (a) by the Home Office, (b) by boundary commissions for England and Wales, and (c) by any other relevant organisations; and how many were employed at most recent date for which figures are available (a) by the Home Office, (b) in boundary commissions for England and Wales, (c) by the Local Government Boundary Committee, (d) by the Electoral Commission other than the Local Government Boundary Committee, and (e) by any other relevant organisations. [HL1564]
§ Lord FilkinI attach two tables on the number of full-time staff employed for purposes related to election issues. Table A covers those organisations named in the Question except the Electoral Commission, which is an independent body accountable directly to Parliament. It also assumed responsibility for the Local Government Boundary Committee for England in April 2002. As the Government have no responsibility for either the commission or the committee, the noble Lord may wish to write to the chairman of the Electoral Commission on the matters he raises. Table B covers other relevant government organisations.
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Staff employed (full-time equivalent) for purposes relating to elections Table A—Government Departments listed in Question Department 2000 2001 2004 Home Office 8.25 7.6 — Parly. Boundary Commission for England 15 (also covered Wales) — 15 Local Government Commission for England1 38 — — Local Government and Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales — — 0.71 1 Functions, staff and responsibilities transferred to the Electoral Commission on 1 April 2002. It now forms the basis of the Boundary Committee for England a statutory Committee of the Electoral Commission
Table B—Other Relevant Organisations Department 2000 2004 Dept for Constitutional Affairs — 22 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister1 1 14 Government Office for London 5 1 Scotland Office 0.9 3.8 Wales Office Less than Less than 1 1 Northern Ireland Office 3 3 Parly. Boundary Commission for Scotland 1.2 3.6 Parly. Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland 0 4 Local Government Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland 0 0 1 Estimate. The ODPM did not exist in 2000 (the predecessor department was DETR). There was one FTE dealing with the periodic electoral reviews of the LGC. There may have been others on election matters but records of staff are not kept on a function basis.