§ LORD STRANGasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there is anything to add to the announcement made on July 31 last on Civil Service manning.
§ LORD SHACKLETONI announced in the House on July 31 that Sir Robert Bellinger was to become Chairman of a panel of businessmen who would guide and assist a number of inquiries into particular areas of work in the non-industrial Civil Service with a view to finding savings in manpower. The panel, whose membership will be varied from time to time, has now been established and is composed as follows:
Sir Robert Bellinger, G.B.E., D.Sc., Kinloch (PM) Ltd.
Mr. G. S. Bishop, C.B., O.B.E., Booker Brothers, McConnell & Co. Ltd.
Mr. David R. Elder, M.C., C.A., Shell International Ltd.
Mr. Bruce W. Goodman, Marks and Spencer Ltd.
Mr. G. E. Graham, Unilever Ltd.
349WAMr. S. D. Lyon, Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd.
Mr. L. F. Murphy, J. Henry Schroder Wagg & Co. Ltd.
Mr. A. Wilson Smith, Commercial Union Assurance Co. Ltd.
Each member will undertake at least one review of an area of Civil Service work according to a programme which is under discussion with Government Departments.
This panel of senior and experienced businessmen, working with internal management services and where appropriate with management consultants, will play an important part in helping to ensure the most effective use of Civil Service manpower, particularly by questioning the need for tasks to be performed; the Government is grateful to them and to their companies for making their services available.
The Staff Side of the Civil Service National Whitley Council has been consulted and discussions about the reviews are proceeding. There will also be consultations with the Staff Sides in Departments affected.