To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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.

None of the staff in the Department is employed full time on civil defence work. There are 10 members of staff in the Department's headquarters and regional offices whose duties include civil defence matters but, since these represent only a very small part of the duties of the staff involved, it is not possible to identify separately the costs involved.