asked the Minister of Labour what proportion of the decrease of 80,000 in the number of persons employed in public service prescribed for 1947 by paragraph 128 of Cmd. 7046 had been achieved by the latest convenient date.

Comprehensive figures of the numbers employed in public service are only available at quarterly intervals, and information as to the change that has occurred since the end of December, 1946, is not yet available.

In view of the fact that the last two quarterly returns have shown an increase, can the Minister give us an assurance that the decrease budgeted for in the White Paper is even being attempted?

It would be impossible to give that assurance until I have seen the figures.