asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total number of civil servants employed in the United Kingdom, in each department, on the latest available date, and on the same date in each of the preceding 10 years; and to what extent the numbers are not comparable.
pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 8th May 1975; Vol. 891, c. 483–4], gave the following information:Central records do not distinguish between United Kingdom-based civil servants working in the United Kingdom or abroad. The numbers of United Kingdom-based civil servants in each department on 1st January in each year were as follows:
Department
| 1965
| 1966
| 1967
| 1968
| 1969
| 1970
| 1971
| 1972
| 1973
| 1974
| 1975
|
| Agricultural Research Council | 99 | —1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ministry of | 15,171 | 15,155 | 15,677 | 16,176 | 16,056 | 15,949 | 15,999 | 15,669 | 15,394 | 15,042 | 15,195 |
| Ancient Monuments (Wales and Mon-mouthshire), Royal Commission on | 13 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 19 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Aviation, Ministry of | 38,788 | 38,447 | 37,170 | —2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| British Museum | 1,086 | 1,143 | 1,311 | 1,459 | 1,477 | 1,528 | 1,605 | —1 | — | — | — |
| British Museum (Natural History) | 524 | 536 | 561 | 560 | 576 | 588 | 591 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Cabinet Office | 407 | 408 | 428 | 455 | 463 | 716 | 562 | 590 | 598 | 600 | 629 |
| Charity Commission | 263 | 275 | 294 | 284 | 280 | 292 | 312 | 313 | 329 | 303 | 332 |
| Civil Service Commission | 594 | 628 | 654 | 694 | —3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Civil Service Pay Research Unit | 31 | 34 | 31 | 38 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 46 | 38 | 43 | 54 |
| Colonial Office | 606 | 599 | —1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| County Courts | 5,197 | 5,271 | 5,430 | 5,476 | 5,489 | 5,533 | 5,651 | —5 | — | — | — |
| Crown Estate Office | 131 | 129 | 128 | 131 | 122 | 126 | 128 | 127 | 125 | 126 | 128 |
| Customs and Excise | 15,942 | 16,632 | 17,309 | 17,913 | 17,806 | 17,877 | 17,919 | 18,308 | 22,643 | 24,841 | 27,126 |
| Defence, Ministry of | 279,366 | 276,007 | 275,114 | 275,165 | 267,352 | 261,250 | 255,731 | 279,279 | 270,225 | 267,890 | 266,470 |
| Development Commission | 20 | —1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Diplomatic Service | 10,243 | 10,691 | 11,211 | 11,180 | —6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Economic Affairs, Department of | 271 | 517 | 553 | 576 | 682 | —7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Education and Science, Department of | 3,570 | 4,012 | 4,799 | 4,426 | 4,296 | 4,363 | 4,275 | 3,2458 | 3,236 | 2,915 | 2,887 |
| Exchequer and Audit Department | 533 | 542 | 551 | 571 | 566 | 578 | 576 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Export Credits Guarantee Department | 1,110 | 1,168 | 1,236 | 1,315 | 1,370 | 1,439 | 1,489 | 1,598 | 1,658 | 1,648 | 1,783 |
| Fine Art Commission, Royal | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Forestry Commission | 13,686 | —1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Friendly Societies, Registry of | 105 | 105 | 102 | 106 | 102 | 99 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 104 | 114 |
| General Register Office | 1,237 | 1,249 | 1,613 | 1,577 | 1,488 | 1,702 | —9 | — | — | — | — |
| Government Actuary's Department | 45 | 48 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 45 | 50 | 56 | 58 | 55 | 62 |
| Health, Ministry of | 5,360 | 5,613 | 6,039 | 6,393 | —10 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Health, Welsh Board of | 183 | 183 | 198 | 202 | 197 | —11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Historical Manuscripts Commission | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 18 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Historical Monuments (England), Royal Commission on | 61 | 69 | 70 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 83 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Home Office | 19,086 | 19,719 | 21,049 | 22,356 | 23,497 | 24,666 | 25,716 | 27,254 | 28,462 | 28,261 | 30,287 |
| Housing and Local Government, Ministry of | 3,253 | 3,568 | 4,060 | 4,332 | 4,386 | 4,726 | —12 | — | — | — | — |
| Housing and Local Government, Welsh Office of | 241 | —13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Imperial War Museum | 101 | 113 | 134 | 133 | 143 | 148 | 163 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Information, Central Office of | 1,575 | 1,647 | 1,685 | 1,555 | 1,513 | 1,508 | 1,508 | 1,396 | 1,313 | 1,246 | 1,284 |
| Inland Revenue | 56,451 | 58,974 | 60,877 | 62,994 | 65,020 | 68,050 | 69,644 | 72,876 | 70,776 | 69,359 | 73,470 |
Department
| 1965
| 1966
| 1967
| 1968
| 1969
| 1970
| 1971
| 1972
| 1973
| 1974
| 1975
|
| Labour, Ministry of | 21,183 | 22,399 | 26,629 | 29,836 | —14 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Land and Natural Resources, Ministry of | 139 | 270 | 238 | —7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Land Registry | 2,746 | 3,023 | 3,452 | 3,819 | 3,778 | 3,804 | 4,015 | 4,298 | 4,800 | 4,983 | 4,532 |
| Law Officers' Department | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| Local Government Commission for England | 38 | 31 | —7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| London Museum | 69 | 66 | 65 | 70 | 70 | 68 | 74 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Mint, Royal | 1,016 | 1,186 | 1,292 | 1,231 | 1,633 | 1,851 | 1,519 | 1,384 | 1,372 | 1,157 | 1,396 |
| National Assistance Board | 13,622 | 13,905 | —15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| National Debt Office | 51 | 51 | 50 | 54 | 52 | 55 | 53 | 55 | 55 | 53 | 60 |
| National Economic Development Office | —31 | 106 | 139 | 143 | —31 | —32 | 164 | —1 | — | — | — |
| National Gallery | 152 | 166 | 166 | 175 | 181 | 190 | 197 | —1 | — | — | — |
| National Maritime Museum | 115 | 122 | 128 | 144 | 148 | 147 | 161 | —1 | — | — | — |
| National Parks Commission | 25 | 31 | 52 | 65 | —16 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| National Portrait Gallery | 44 | 48 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 53 | 59 | —1 | — | — | — |
| National Savings Committee | 626 | 625 | 614 | 614 | 600 | —17 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ordnance Survey | 4,422 | 4,442 | 4,588 | 4,745 | 4,643 | 4,679 | 4,652 | 4,674 | 4,737 | 4,550 | 4,531 |
| Overseas Development, Ministry of | 1,685 | 2,197 | 2,315 | 2,448 | 2,437 | 2,463 | 2,497 | 2,489 | 2,316 | 2,162 | 2,269 |
| Paymaster General's Office | 621 | 631 | 641 | 690 | 715 | 704 | 649 | 610 | 644 | 662 | 704 |
| Pensions and National Insurance, Ministry of | 40,402 | 40,611 | —15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Power, Ministry of | 1,692 | 1,725 | 1,745 | 1,805 | 1,781 | —18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Privy Council Office | 35 | 33 | 36 | 38 | 35 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 34 | 45 |
| Public Building and Works, Ministry of | 59,967 | 59,058 | 57,823 | 59,445 | 58,862 | 56,892 | —12 | — | — | — | — |
| Public Prosecutions, Director of | 103 | 107 | 112 | 112 | 113 | 120 | 127 | 139 | 147 | 158 | 170 |
| Public Record Office | 219 | 219 | 226 | 231 | 252 | 295 | 305 | 315 | 333 | 342 | 397 |
| Public Trustee Office | 557 | 533 | 525 | 557 | 529 | 554 | 539 | 569 | 534 | 503 | 518 |
| Public Works Loan Board | 52 | 52 | 50 | 49 | 51 | 47 | 47 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Registrar of Restrictive Trading Agreements, Office of | 114 | 103 | 101 | 91 | 74 | 72 | 68 | 68 | 67 | —19 | — |
| Scientific and Industrial Research, Department of | 6,922 | —20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stationery Office | 6,816 | 6,972 | 7,291 | 7,435 | 7,491 | 7,555 | 7,681 | 7,758 | 7,345 | 7,152 | 7,080 |
| Supreme Court of Judicature | 1,812 | 1,860 | 1,867 | 1,883 | 1,878 | 1,911 | 2,000 | —5 | — | — | — |
| Supreme Court of Northern Ireland | 106 | 107 | 100 | 106 | 103 | 106 | 101 | 98 | 96 | 96 | 94 |
| Tate Gallery | 125 | 135 | 133 | 147 | 160 | 162 | 184 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Technology, Ministry of | 52 | 5,416 | 5,911 | 35,578 | 34,748 | 38,034 | —21 | — | — | — | — |
| Trade, Board of | 7,619 | 9,746 | 10,583 | 18,296 | 18,890 | 17,207 | —22 | — | — | — | — |
| Transport, Ministry of | 8,021 | 7,278 | 7,790 | 8,268 | 8,864 | 9,162 | —12 | — | — | — | — |
| Treasury | 1,584 | 1,730 | 1,804 | 1,864 | 964 | 1,041 | 1,060 | 1,075 | 1,074 | 1,000 | 1,065 |
| Treasury Solicitor | 354 | 378 | 366 | 362 | 345 | 359 | 377 | 374 | 385 | 378 | 415 |
| Wallace Collection | 59 | 64 | 62 | 66 | 65 | 66 | 65 | —1 | — | — | — |
Department
| 1965
| 1966
| 1967
| 1968
| 1969
| 1970
| 1971
| 1972
| 1973
| 1974
| 1975
|
Scottish Departments
| |||||||||||
| Accountant of Court | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | —23 | — |
| Agriculture and Fisheries, Department of | 3,091 | 3,199 | 3,193 | 3,248 | 3,090 | 3,277 | 3,318 | —24 | — | — | — |
| Ancient and Historical Monuments, Royal Commission on | 12 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 25 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Court of Session | 84 | 87 | 87 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 89 | 8525 | 89 | —23 | — |
| Crown Office | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 26 | 33 |
| Exchequer Office (QLTR) | 64 | 65 | 66 | 68 | 67 | 66 | 68 | 66 | 67 | 55 | 55 |
| General Register Office | 188 | 231 | 262 | 248 | 224 | 232 | 254 | 440 | 425 | 425 | 418 |
| High Court of Justiciary | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | —23 | — |
| Lord Advocate's Department | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| National Galleries | 76 | 79 | 78 | 77 | 80 | 86 | 87 | —1 | — | — | — |
| National Library | 122 | 122 | 128 | 125 | 126 | 124 | 129 | —1 | — | — | — |
| National Museum of Antiquities | 26 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 34 | 37 | 38 | —1 | — | — | — |
| National Savings Commission | 54 | 56 | 56 | 57 | 59 | —17 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Procurator Fiscal Service | 180 | 194 | 207 | 232 | 239 | 257 | 277 | 288 | 301 | 317 | 355 |
| Registers of Scotland | 260 | 267 | 262 | 276 | 269 | 266 | 274 | 289 | 311 | 380 | 387 |
| Royal Observatory | 55 | —1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Scottish Development Department | 731 | 784 | 867 | 932 | 1,000 | 1,030 | 1,032 | —24 | — | — | — |
| Scottish Education Department | 638 | 729 | 761 | 799 | 784 | 877 | 932 | —26 | — | — | — |
| Scottish Home and Health Department | 3,374 | 3,582 | 3,776 | 3,907 | 3,977 | 3,990 | 4,032 | —24 | — | — | — |
| Scottish Land Court | 20 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | —23 | — |
| Scottish Record Office | 98 | 103 | 105 | 106 | 108 | 109 | 124 | 128 | 134 | 138 | 139 |
| Sheriff Clerk's Office | 313 | 318 | 328 | 335 | 339 | 353 | 361 | 369 | 379 | —23 | — |
Departments created since 1965
| |||||||||||
| Aviation Supply, Ministry of | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28,271 | —27 | — | — | — |
| Civil Service Department | — | — | — | — | 1,627 | 2,103 | 2,402 | 2,334 | 3,257 | 5,015 | 5,256 |
| Constitution, Commission on the | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 1
| — | — | — |
| Decimal Currency Board | — | — | — | — | 28 | 43 | 43 | —7 | — | — | — |
| Employment, Department of | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33,069 | 34,437 | 33,773 | 15,59528 |
| Employment and Productivity, Department of | — | — | — | — | 30,323 | 31,232 | 32,083 | —29 | — | — | — |
| Energy, Department of | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1,207 |
| Environment, Department of the | — | — | — | — | — | — | 71,819 | 70,248 | 22,70430 | 24,560 | 26,207 |
| Environmental Pollution, Royal Commission on | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Fair Trading, Office of | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 96 | 172 |
| Fine Art Commission for Scotland, Royal | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office | — | — | — | — | 10,815 | 10,615 | 10,566 | 10,543 | 10,440 | 10,201 | 10,256 |
Department
| 1965
| 1966
| 1967
| 1968
| 1969
| 1970
| 1971
| 1972
| 1973
| 1974
| 1975
|
| Government Social Survey, Department of | — | — | — | 183 | 205 | 214 | —9 | — | — | — | — |
| Health and Safety Commission/Executive | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2,800 |
| Health and Social Security, Department of | — | — | — | — | 69,580 | 70,436 | 71,816 | 74,549 | 76,537 | 80,940 | 86,707 |
| Industry, Department of | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10,239 |
| Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 264 | 414 | 475 |
| Land Commission | — | — | 531 | 1,465 | 1,236 | 1,027 | 451 | —7 | — | — | — |
| Lands Tribunal (Scotland) | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Lord Chancellor's Office | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8,852 | 9,311 | 9,342 | 9,599 |
| Lord Lyon (Scotland) | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 6 | 5 | —23 | — |
| Museum and Galleries, Standing Commission on | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | —1 | — | — | — |
| National Board for Prices and Incomes | — | 87 | 108 | 200 | —7 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| National Savings, Department for | — | — | — | — | — | 15,269 | 15,266 | 14,780 | 13,883 | 13,378 | 13,556 |
| Northern Ireland Office | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 108 | 175 | 224 |
| Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration | — | — | — | 59 | 56 | 54 | 55 | —1 | — | — | — |
| Parliamentary Counsel | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 46 | 47 | 44 | 47 |
| Pensions Appeal Tribunal (Scotland) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | —23 | — |
| Population Censuses and Surveys, Office of | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2,069 | 2,564 | 2,599 | 2,708 | 2,786 |
| Posts and Telecommunications, Ministry of | — | — | — | — | — | 382 | 408 | 432 | 461 | 459 | —33 |
| Prices and Consumer Protection, Department of | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 347 |
| Property Services Agency | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 47,215 | 44,766 | 43,457 |
| Registry of Trade Unions and Employers' Associations | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 38 | 43 | 39 | —7 |
| Royal Scottish Museum | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 160 | 167 | 166 | 173 |
| Science Museum | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 414 | 412 | 411 | 445 |
| Scottish Courts Administration | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 728 | 736 |
| Scottish Law Commission | — | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | —23 | — |
| Scottish Office | — | — | — | — | — | — | 173 | 9,460 | 9,641 | 9,704 | 9,882 |
| Social Security, Ministry of | — | — | 57,887 | 61,468 | —10 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Temporary Royal Commissions | — | — | — | — | 61 | 27 | —1 | — | — | — | — |
| Trade, Department of | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7,303 |
| Trade and Industry, Department of | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26,573 | 26,269 | 18,763 | 18,721 | —34 |
| Victoria and Albert Museum | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 630 | 653 | 638 | 656 |
| Welsh Office | — | 428 | 466 | 534 | 538 | 776 | 886 | 926 | 991 | 1,062 | 1,270 |
| Total all Departments | 667,980 | 659,406 | 674,614 | 691,190 | 687,663 | 702,056 | 702,853 | 701,896 | 692,656 | 694,384 | 693,921 |
Notes on comparability of figures:] |
| Casual staff excluded from 1967. |
| All figures include part-time staff counted as one half. |
| Post Office excluded throughout. |
1 These staff ceased to be counted as civil servants. |
2 Functions transferred in 1967 to Ministry of Technology and Board of Trade. |
3 See Civil Service Department from 1969. |
4 Functions transferred in 1966 to Diplomatic Service. |
5 See Lord Chancellor's Office from 1972. |
6 See Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1969. |
7 Department dissolved. |
8 From 1972 staffs of Science Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum shown separately. |
9 See Office of Population Censuses and Surveys from 1971. |
10 See Department of Health and Social Security from 1969. |
11 Functions transferred in 1969 to Welsh Office. |
12 See Department of the Environment from 1971. |
13 See Welsh Office from 1966. |
14 See Department of Employment and Productivity from 1969. |
15 See Ministry of Social Security from 1967. |
16 Functions transferred in 1968 to Ministry of Housing and Local Government. |
17 See Department for National Savings from 1970. |
18 Functions transferred in 1969 to Ministry of Technology. |
19 See Office of Fair Trading from 1974. |
20 Functions transferred in 1965 to Ministries of Technology and Transport, and Department of Education and Science. |
21 See Ministry of Aviation Supply and Department of Trade and Industry from 1971. |
22 See Department of Trade and Industry from 1971. |
23 See Scottish Courts Administration from 1974. |
24 See Scottish Office from 1972. |
25 See Pensions Appeal Tribunal from 1972. |
26 See Scottish Office and Royal Scottish Museum from 1972. |
27 Functions transferred in 1971 to Ministry of Defence and Department of Trade and Industry. |
28 From 1975 staff of Manpower Services Commission ceased to be counted as civil servants. Also see Health and Safety Commission/Executive |
29 See Department of Employment from 1972. |
30 Functions transferred in 1972 to Property Services Agency |
31 Included in figures for Department of Economic Affairs. |
32 Included in figures for Cabinet Office. |
33 Functions transferred in 1974 to Home Office and Department of Industry. |
34 See Departments of Energy. Industry. Prices and Consumer Protection, and Trade from 1975 |