asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest figures available for the number of local government employees in Wales; what actual and percentage reduction this constitutes from May 1979; and what further target he has for reductions during the course of the new Parliament.

In March 1983, the latest month for which figures are available, it is provisionally estimated that 128,000 persons, in full-time equivalent terms, were employed by local authorities in Wales. This figure is 4,400 or 3·4 per cent. lower than that for the corresponding month of 1979. Nevertheless, it is clear that the search for manpower economies must continue if local authority current expenditure and rates are to be held to levels the country can afford.

Are there not signs that the excellent reduction from 1979 to 1983 disguised a rise in employment in local authorities recently? Is it not timely for a special conference to be called with the association of local authorities in Wales to review this problem at the early stages?

There was an upturn in local authority employment in the last two quarters' figures, and I have drawn that fact to the attention of the local authorities and expressed my concern about it.