asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning authorities there are presently in the United Kingdom; and how many there were before the reorganisation of local government.

509 at present and 277 before reorganisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people there are currently employed in planning departments of local authorities; and how many there were employed before the reorganisation of local government.

About 22,000 in England and Wales. Information on planning staff was not collected systematically before local government reorganisation.