or new offshore surveillance responsibilities. The Nimrods currently based in Malta are moreover not due to be withdrawn before 1977 and some of them will then be required to back up the UK based LRMP force during its major refit. The Government is aware of the need to take decisions on these matters as quickly as it sensibly can, but the AEW decision in particular involves detailed consideration of a number of alternative solutions and is unlikely to be finally resolved before this time next year.
Consequences for Civilian Manpower
35. The Committee suggested that there may be scope for a critical review of civilian manpower (Conclusion 14).
36. The number of United Kingdom based civilians required to carry out the defence task is not a direct function of the number of uniformed per- sonnel in the Services and hence it does not follow that proportionate reduc- tions in both categories are to be expected as a result of the Defence Review.
37. Nevertheless studies are being set in hand in the wake of the Review which will affect civilian numbers. In the Navy, a review has been launched into all aspects of the shore support organisation and this will include a detailed look at civilian support. There is to be a restructuring of the Army on the principles set out in Chapter I of the Statement on Defence Estimates 1975 (Cmnd 5976). Eventually this will affect the number of civilians employed in support. In addition, a Committee has been set up with the specific task of identifying measures required to achieve the economies in civilian manpower already forecast. As also indicated in Chapter I of the Statement on Defence Estimates 1975, a Management Review of the Ministry of Defence is to start later this year, with the specific purpose of adjusting its size and scope following the Defence Review.
38. In addition to these special studies, there is the continuing process of Staff Inspection, whereby a regular cycle of "on-site" examinations is carried out, as well as the yearly review of civilian staffing requirements conducted as part of the annual Estimates and Public Expenditure Survey Exercises. Require- ments assessed by line managers are subjected to scrutiny at various management levels up to and including Service Board level in the Navy, Army and Air Force areas, Management Board level in the Procurement Executive and Deputy Secretary level for Central Staffs. The total civilian staff requirements are then approved by the Permanent Secretary's Committee on Civilian Staff Numbers before submission to MOD Ministers. In the final stage they are subject to further critical review by the Civil Service Department.
39. In the Government's view the studies referred to in paragraph 37 above, supported by the regular procedures for scrutiny of civilian numbers will produce the critical review of civilian manpower suggested by the Committee.
Financial Consequences
40. The Committee recommended, in Conclusion 15, that any costs falling on the Defence Budget which have been incurred primarily for employment or other
13