Property Services Agency

HC Deb 22 December 1983 vol 51 cc344-6W

Mr. Frank Field

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what sum of money he would expect to be the average payment to a non-mobile member of the staff of the Property Services Agency declared redundant as a result of the proposed restructuring of the agency.

Sir George Young

It is our firm intention to deal with any reduction in the number of non-mobile staff as far as possible by natural wastage of redeployment to other posts within the agency or with other Government Departments. Should this prove impossible in any particular case the amount of any individual redundancy payment will depend on existing salary, age and length of service.

Mr. Frank Field

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many members of the staff of the Property Services Agency now serving in district works offices would be expected to move post and home under the proposed restructuring of the agency.

Sir George Young

The proposed changes at district works office level are mainly limited to changes in reporting lines or change in office status but there may be a small number of mobile staff, perhaps 10-15, who would be required to move both post and home under the proposals.

Mr. Frank Field

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Property Services Agency will be allowed to retain staff above the present manpower targets if the proposed restructuring of the agency takes place; arid whether the first priority of the staff will be for client departments or implementation of the restructuring.

Sir George Young

No. The staffing of the agency, within whatever structure it operates, has to be contained within its overall manpower ceiling. The process of transition to any new structure would inevitably impose additional burdens on the agency. The aim would nevertheless be to maintain the service to its clients through that period.

Mr. Frank Field

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consequential increases in cost will fall on other Departments if the Property Services Agency is restructured because of a decrease in the Property Services Agency's share of common services.

Sir George Young

The proposals are designed to reduce the overall cost of providing the Government's accommodation.

Mr. Frank Field

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consequential changes in the organisation of the Property Services Agency supplies division he would expect as a result of a restructuring of the agency; and if he will estimate the cost of such consequential changes.

Sir George Young

PSA supplies is organised in the way it judges best to meet the needs of its clients. Apart from some possible accommodation changes, there are no direct consequential changes arising from the proposed restructuring.

Mr. Frank Field

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what alternative proposals for improving the efficiency of the Property Services Agency were considered to those put to the Property Services Agency trade union side on 31 October; and whether such alternatives were costed.

Sir George Young

During the course of discussions leading up to the present proposals, a number of possible ways of improving the efficiency of the Property Services Agency have been considered. In terms of structural change, consideration was given to the possibility of merging the existing regional and area offices, without separating civil and defence work, and also to a structure based on the present regions and district offices. The first of these options had significant operating drawbacks, failed to meet fundamental objectives and had no cost advantage over the present proposals. The second was considered in 1980 and found to raise problems of effective management and to be very costly in terms of staff relocations.

Mr. Frank Field

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the cost of printing one year's supply of headed notepaper for offices which will be opened, or relocated, under the proposed restructuring of the Property Services Agency, the cost of changing nameplates outside such offices, and the cost of providing new, or relocated, technical libraries.

Sir George Young

The cost of printing supplies of headed notepaper for any new offices would essentially be no different from that of doing so for existing offices. Existing stocks of notepaper and other stationery would be used up, after overstamping or other amendment before new orders were placed. No detailed study of nameplate requirements has been made, but it is estimated that the cost of provision and installation would be of the order of £150 in each case.

The future location and content of technical libraries is still under consideration.

Mr. Frank Field

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Government have assessed the effects on the local economy in towns where, as part of the proposed restructuring of the Property Services Agency, an existing Property Services Agency office would close.

Sir George Young

We have made no direct assessment of the effect on the local economy in towns where the number of staff employed by the agency would either increase or decrease. The proposals are primarily directed at improving the effectiveness of the agency's service to its clients and proposals involving office closures have been kept to the minimum consistent with that overall objective. The restructuring proposals would not, in themselves, affect the amount of construction or other work commissioned by the agency within any particular locality.

Mr. Frank Field

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the proposals for restructuring the Property Services Agency that have recently been put forward for consultation are designed solely to meet the agency's target manpower figures for 1 April 1988.

Sir George Young

No.

Mr. Frank Field

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whom he has consulted about the proposals to restructure the Property Services Agency; whether he has consulted departmental trade union sides about these proposals; and whether he is satisfied that their implementation will have no adverse effect on work being done for other Government Departments.

Sir George Young

There have been and continue to be detailed consultations with Government Departments and other clients of the agency as well as with the Departmental trade union side. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that, apart from some inevitable dislocation arising from the transition, the proposals would have no adverse effect on the work done for the agency's clients; indeed, the whole essence of the proposals is to improve the service to clients.