PART 4: THE CIVIL SERVICE
TODAY
THE
SIZE OF
THE CIVIL
SERVICE
88. Between 1967 and
1997 the Civil Service first grew (peaking in 1976) and then shrank
considerably. Since 1967, the sphere of Civil Service activities
has been redefined, the status of some public service institutions
has been changed, and some activities of Government have ceased
or been privatised. The difference in staff numbers is only one
aspect of change among many, and may not be very informative taken
out of context; nevertheless, it is an important aspect of change.
Table 1 above set out the size of each major department in 1967;
Table 3 below is a comparable table for 1997. Appendix 6 sets
out staff numbers in each year between 1967 and 1996.
TABLE
3: MAJOR DEPARTMENTS
AS AT
1ST APRIL
1997
| Department
| Non-industrial staff numbers
|
| Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
| 8,996
|
| Cabinet Office (excluding OPS)
| 581
|
| Customs and Excise
| 23,071
|
| Ministry of Defence
| 77,949
|
| Department for Education and Employment
| 33,662
|
| Department of the Environment
| 3,687
|
| Ministry of Health
| 4,685
|
| Home Office (excluding HM Prison Service)
| 12,078
|
| Inland Revenue
| 54,029
|
| Lord Chancellor's Department
| 10,625
|
| National Heritage
| 960
|
| Northern Ireland Office
| 204
|
| Scottish Departments
| 4,649
|
| Department of Social Security
| 93,030
|
| Department of Trade and Industry
| 8,398
|
| Department of Transport
| 10,933
|
| Treasury
| 9,767
|
| Treasury Solicitor's Departments
| 481
|
| Welsh Office
| 2,060
|
(Figures provided by the OPS)
THE
DEPARTMENTS OF
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
IN 1997
89. By 1997 71 per cent
of Civil Servants (i.e. 375,000 members of staff) were working
in executive agencies[5]-a
structure which did not exist in 1967. Executive agencies are
described in paragraphs 72-74 above. Between 1988 and 1996, 145
agencies were created: 20 were subsequently privatised, merged
or had their functions contracted out or abolished. In addition,
many of the functions which were undertaken by Civil Servants
in 1967 have been privatised or contracted out.
90. Table 2 above gave
a description of departmental responsibilities in 1967. Table 4
below is a comparable table for 1997.
TABLE
4: DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES
IN 1997
| Function
| Chief Departments Responsible
|
| Central Government, Law and Order
| Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service, Treasury, Lord Chancellor's Department, Law Officer's Department, and Home Office
|
| Defence |
Ministry of Defence
|
| Finance and Development
| Treasury, Department of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Department of the Environment and Department of Transport
|
| Revenue |
Boards of Inland Revenue and of Customs and Excise, Contributions Agency (Department of Social Security)
|
| Social Services
| Department of Social Security, Department for Education and Employment, Department of Health
|
| Foreign and Commonwealth
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office
|
| Scotland
| Scottish Office
|
| Northern Ireland
| Northern Ireland Office
|
| Wales |
Welsh Office
|
PAY
AND GRADING
91. Many of the old
staff grades and classes which existed in 1967 have now been absorbed
into a more flexible pay and grading structure. Since 1st April
1996, departments and agencies have been responsible for their
own pay and grading arrangements, and have been engaged in introducing
their own systems.
5 (Paragraph 89) Figure given in the October 1996 Next
Steps Briefing Note. Back
|
