asked the Prime Minister what is her estimate of the reduction of job opportunities in local government as a result of Her Majesty's Government's cuts in local authority spending.

The Government have asked local authorities to reduce the volume of current expenditure in 1979–80 by 1½ per cent. in real terms below the actual outturn for 1978–79, and by a further 1 per cent. in 1980–81. It will be for individual local authorities to implement the reductions and to decide in the light of their own circumstances how they can best be achieved.