26sh May 2010
All the latest stories from the world of work
The new government announced plans to cut the costs of Whitehall by reducing the size of the civil service.
In plans announced this month, the government will freeze civil service recruitment ‘except in important front line and business critical areas’. They also plan to reduce the number of temporary staff.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS union responded to the announcement saying, “These cuts will damage the economy, will undoubtedly lead to people losing their jobs, and will put the delivery of vital public services at serious risk at a time when they are most needed. A recruitment freeze now, when tens of thousands of civil service posts have been cut in the last few years, will further add to workloads and put at risk the services our members provide to the public.
“We would welcome the opportunity for a full and honest debate about the public sector and its role in the economy, but the government appears intent on short-circuiting that by cutting first and asking questions later.”
The government has established an Efficiency and Reform Group, headed by ministers from the Treasury and Cabinet Office, to identify savings across government departments.
The Group’s priorities will also include looking at ways to simplify civil service pay structures and terms and conditions, simplify HR functions across Whitehall and freeze all consultancy spending.
Cabinet Office minister Frances Maude said; “Good government can cost less. It won't do just to carry on as before. By joining forces and concentrating our efforts where the money actually gets spent, we can make sure the maximum amount gets taken out of government overheads, not front line services.”
Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat member of parliament for Kingston and Surbiton has been appointed as minister for employment relations and postal and consumer affairs in the new government.
Davey will report to Vince Cable at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. One of his first tasks is to prepare a plan to restructure the Royal Mail with the aim of injecting new capital into the organization and addressing the pension deficit.
Davey was shadow foreign secretary for the Liberal Democrats before entering the government.
The IPA will be holding its annual general meeting and summer reception on June 17th. All members and friends of the IPA are welcome to attend.
Summer reception with guest speaker
18.00
1, Queen Anne’s Gate
London
SW1H 9BT
AGM
17.45
1, Queen Anne’s Gate
London
SW1H 9BT
For more information, or to RSVP please contact Lorraine Modeste on
Lorraine.modeste@ipa-involve.com
