To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many civil servants are currently employed (a) full time and (b) part time by his Department on civil defence; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties were in 1989–90; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties are expected to be in 1990–91; and whether he has any plans for these staff to be transferred to work on other duties.

The information requested is as follows:

Number of Staff and cost
Number of Staff employed full-time on 19 November 1990	Nil
Number of staff employed part-time on 19 November 1990	5
Total cost 1989–90	1£58,000
Estimated total cost 1990–91	1£57,000
1 Approximate

My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary announced on 16 October that he had initiated a review of the options for the future of civil defence arrangements in the light of east-west relations. Future levels of expenditure in civil defence will depend on the outcome of that review.