§ Mr. Wrigglesworthasked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in implementing the improvements in the organisation and procedures of civilian personnel management envisaged in paragraph 161 of the 373W 1977 Statement on the Defence Estimates. Command Paper No. 6735.
§ Dr. GilbertFollowing the management review of the Ministry of Defence, the results of which were announced in the 1977 Statement on the Defence Estimates, a further review was undertaken of civilian personnel management in the Department. Three studies were commissioned, covering career development in the administration group and some specialist grades; the management of executive grades in the administration group; and the organisation of personnel management for non-industrial staff.
The conclusions and recommendations of these studies are being discussed with the staff side of the departmental Whitley Council and broad agreement on a number of the findings has already been reached. Discussions are continuing. The findings are now being implemented progressively in the light of these discussions, and subject to further consultation on their detailed implementation where appropriate. Copies of the reports of these studies have ben laid in the Library of the House.