asked the Minister of National Insurance how many of the staff reductions which have occurred since October, 1951, or which have been agreed to at Longbenton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, can be accounted for by casual vacancies in posts which it is not intended to fill.

The whole of the reduction is being achieved by not replacing staff wastage. There will, of course, have to be some re-arrangement of staff as between posts which are to be abolished and those which are to be retained.