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Public Sector Labour Costs

Volume 173: debated on Tuesday 5 June 1990

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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest figures available for the total annual cost and the average annual cost of full-time equivalent posts in (a) the National Health Service, (b) the civil service, (c) local government and (d) all remaining public sector work forces, including nationalised industries; and if he will break down the average cost for a full-time equivalent post into pay, national insurance, superannuation and other costs.

[holding answer 21 May 1990]: Figures for the total annual cost and the average annual cost of full-time equivalent posts in the civil service, together with an analysis of average civil service man-year costs is given in another question tabled by my hon. Friend which I am also answering today. Comparable information for the National Health Service, local government and all remaining public sector work forces is not available.The CSO publication "United Kingdom National Accounts" shows expenditure on income from employment (wages and salaries, including employers' contributions to national insurance and superannuation) for local authorities and public corporations in table 2·5. For the National Health Service this information is shown under "Health" in table 9·4.Information on the number of employees on a full-time equivalent basis in each sector is given in an article in

Economic Trends, December 1989 edition.

Any broad averages of per capita remuneration costs derived from these sources must be interpreted with great caution. Cost and employment figures are subject to differences in definition and coverage.