asked the Attorney-General how many people die intestate each year; how many are involved in probate; and if he will take steps to inform the public of the need to make a will.
The number of people who have died intestate each year is not known since a grant of letter of administration is not always sought. Grants of probate and of letters of administration were made as follows in the last three years:
The material is being collated and I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total annual cost of the salaries of all civil servants employed in the United Kingdom on the latest available date, and on the same date in each of the preceding 10 years; and to what extent the annual costs are not comparable.
The information available centrally and given below relates to the provision in the Estimates for the salary and other related costs of all United Kingdom-based civil servants whether serving in the United Kingdom or abroad.
| Financial Year | £'000 |
| 1965–66 | 638,365 |
| 1966–67 | 674,842 |
| 1967–68 | 699,351 |
| 1968–69 | 742,635 |
| 1969–70 | 809,359 |
| 1970–71 | 879,243 |
| 1971–72 | 977,837 |
| 1972–73 | 1,339,817 |
| 1973–74 | 1,481,978 |
| 1974–75 | 1,628,571 |
| 1975–76 | 2,022,331 |
Note on Comparability of Figures
From 1972–73 provision for overtime, employer's national insurance and superannuation charges, is included.
asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) what is the total annual cost of the salaries of all civil servants
| Department | 1965–66 | 1966–67 | 1967–68 | 1968–69 | 1969–70 | 1970–71 | |||
| Defence | … | … | … | 98,880 | 99,453 | 95,077 | 83,471 | 76,238 | 68,953 |
| Environment* (including Property Services Agency) | … | … | … | 23,811 | 25,128 | 23,770 | 18,730 | 19,309 | 17,128 |
| Foreign and Commonwealth and Overseas Development | … | … | … | 7,960 | 8,613 | 8,801 | 8,902 | 8,769 | 8,461 |
| Others | … | … | … | 293 | 315 | 252 | 240 | 267 | 235 |
| Total Numbers | … | … | … | 130,944 | 133,509 | 127,900 | 111,343 | 104,583 | 94,777 |
| Total Cost £'000 | … | … | … | 63,028 | 66,876 | 65,760 | 71,175 | 71,029 | 72,283 |
| Department | 1971–72 | 1972–73 | 1973–74 | 1974–75 | 1975–76 | ||||
| Defence | … | … | … | … | 62,270 | 46,199 | 47,839 | 47,314 | 50,128 |
| Environment* (including Property Services Agency) | … | … | … | … | 14,740 | 14,042 | 13,729 | 12,978 | 9,354 |
| Foreign and Commonwealth and Overseas Development | … | … | … | … | 8,335 | 8,238 | 8,101 | 8,271 | 8,321 |
| Others | … | … | … | … | 217 | 148 | 137 | 131 | 130 |
| Total Numbers | … | … | … | … | 85,562 | 68,627 | 69,806 | 68,694 | 67,933 |
| Total Cost £'000 | … | … | … | … | 73,116 | 76,183 | 83,370 | 119,854 | 147,342 |
| * From 1965–66 to 1970–71 the figures are the combined figures for Ministries of Housing and Local Government, Public Building and Works, and Transport. | |||||||||