asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will give the total number of staff employed in his Department on 1 May 1979 and the total staff costs, with similar details for 1 January; and what action he proposes to take to reduce the costs of administrationof his Department during the current year.

The total number of staff employed in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Diplomatic Service, communications division and passport office was:

1 May 1979	…	…	8,006
1 January 1980	…	…	7,805

The original provision for salaries in 1979–80 amounted to £53·7 million. In May, however, Departments were asked to reduce the salary costs of United Kingdom-based staff by 3 per cent., and this is being done.A further saving of £2·5 million will be achieved in 1980–81 following the closure or reduction in size of 23 subordinate posts overseas and staff savings in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.The staff figures for the Ministry of Overseas Development, now Overseas Development Administration, were:

1 May 1979	…	…	2,404
1 January 1980	…	…	2,236

The original salary provision in 1979–80 amounted to £15·47 million. Like other Departments, the ODA was required to reduce the cost of salaries in 1979–80 by3 per cent.The ODA expects to reduce its manpower in 1980–81 by 67 staff, equivalent to a financial saving of £0·606 million.