asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the approximate number of persons employed in the administration of the National Health Service at the latest available date, a year ago and two years ago.

The information requested is as follows:

Date	Staff (Whole Time Equivalents)
30.6.77*	49,751
31.3.78	48,903
31.3.79	48,680
* Information at 31.3.77 is not available.

The numbers include staff of various disciplines—including doctors and nurses—employed in the administration of the Health Service as defined for the purposes of the management costs review—described in circulars HC(77)10 and HC(76)36, copies of which are in the Library. The review covers staff whose roles are wholly or largely administrative in that they do not provide services direct to patients.