ST. PAUL — The state of Minnesota has added about 1,700 employees to its agencies since 2007.

On Thursday, a House committee will ask Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Myron Frans what the state is getting in return for the increase in employees, which currently number about 37,400 full-time workers.

Management and Budget spokesman John Pollard said the increase in state employees is comparable to the private sector over the same period.

An analysis shows nearly a quarter of the growth in full-time equivalents employees came from boards, commissions and the non-executive branches of government.