asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many extra staff were taken on by his Department during the strike at the computer centre at Newcastle; how many of the posts occupied by such staff have been retained; and what plans he has for the future of those retained posts.

Three thousand additional posts were allocated and filled to deal with the consequences of the Newcastle dispute. Some staff so employed have now been allocated to ordinary departmental work, but detailed information is not available. The Department's manpower targets remain at present as published in the latest expenditure report.