asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will bring up to date the table of Civil Service staff given in his reply to the hon. Member for Melton (Mr. Latham) on 24th January 1977, Official Report, columns 387–8, showing how many staff were in post at 1st March 1974, 1st March 1977 and at the latest date for which the figures are available; and if he will outline the legislative or policy reasons for the manpower changes involved.

The number of staff in post by Department on 1st March 1974, on 1st April 1977—the date nearest 1st March 1977 for which figures are available—and 1st July 1977—the most recent figures—is shown in the table below.In my reply to the hon. Member for Melton (Mr. Latham) on 24th January 1977 I outlined the reasons for the main changes in manpower numbers up to 1st October 1976. The main changes between 1st October 1976 and 1st July 1977 took place in Inland Revenue—+2,700—to cope with increases in work due to inflation and with the introduction of child benefits; in the Department of Employment Group—+2,000—to deal with increased work due to the level of unemployment, expansion of work on vocational training and under the Health and Safety at Work Act; in the Department of Health and Social Security—+2,100—primarily to cope with a greater number of claims for supplementary benefits as a result of rising unemployment and extra staff required with the introduction of child benefits; and in the Ministry of Defence—8,400—as a result of the continued rundown in accordance with the defence review and subsequent cuts in defence expenditure as forecast in the defence White Paper (Cmnd. 6432).