However, the Government has made it clear that the growth in the public service pay bill has to be contained, both in the level of pay increases and overall numbers. Senators may be surprised to learn that there are about 50,000 more working in the public service than there were five years ago. Consequently, the Government has decided that numbers across all sectors of the public service are to be capped at the present authorised level with immediate effect and has set a target of a reduction of 5,000 in those numbers over the next three years.