HL Deb 18 November 2004 vol 666 c211WA
Lord Patten

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their response to the recent official survey of 3,267 civil servants working in the Department of Trade and Industry that showed that 17 per cent of respondents thought that the leadership of the department made "good long-term decisions", while 23 per cent of staff thought that there was "effective leadership at the department". [HL4806]

Lord Sainsbury of Turville

Like many other organisations, DTI carries out regular surveys of its staff to inform management plans in the department. In answer to the question in the survey "is there effective leadership across the DTI", 25 per cent of staff agreed, and 41 per cent recorded a neutral score. These attitudes towards leadership in general are not unusual for any organisation undergoing major change. Overall, the majority of DTI staff (65 per cent) recorded in that survey that they were satisfied to be working for the DTI and felt valued for what they could offer the Department.

Lord Patten

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will set up an independent inquiry into the present state of morale among civil servants in the Department of Trade and Industry. [HL4807]

Lord Sainsbury of Turville

This would not be an appropriate use of public funds.