asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report the total number of administrative staff, including secretarial, clerical and other specialised grades within the administrative and clerical group, engaged in the health services in England in the years 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974, respectively.

The total number—wholetime equivalent—of administrative staff within the purview of the National Health Service Administrative and Clerical Staffs Whitley Council is as follows:

1970	58,262
1971	61,651
1972	65,491
1973	69,417

These figures exclude staff of the former local health authorities and ambulance officers, who, prior to 1st April 1974, were not included in the National Health Service administrative and clerical group.I regret that figures for 1974 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of administrative staff employed or retained in the health and personal social services in England on 30th September 1974; and what was the breakdown of clerical, secretarial and specialised grades within the administrative and clerical group including medical, nursing and other professional staff employed on administrative duties.

I regret that information on staff numbers as at 30th September 1974 is not yet available.The breakdown of the administrative and clerical group as at 30th September 1973—the latest date for which figures are available—was as follows:

	Whole time equivelent
Former Regional Hospital Boards, Executive Councils, and other NHS bodies:
Administrative	11,339
Clerical, Secretarial and Other (see note)	49,016
Specialised grades	3,523
Typists, machine operators, etc.	5,539
Total under the purview of the NHS Administrative and Clerical Staffs Council at 30th September 1973	69,417
Former Local Health Authorities	7,221
Ambulance Service	2,928
Total National Health Service (on present basis)	79,566

NOTE: The breakdown between clerical, secretarial, and other is not available for all employing bodies; it is estimated that some 35,000 staff were employed mainly on clerical and other office work, and about 11,000 on secretarial duties.Medical, nursing, and other profesional staff employed on administrative duties are not included in the administrative and clerical group. Many such staff are engaged on a mixture of professional and administrative duties, and I do not think a meaningful distinction can be made in all cases.

Personal Social Services:
Administrative	6,700
Clerical	7,900
Other	2,600
	17,200

These figures relate to staff at headquarters and area offices of local authority social service departments.