Local Government (Hansard, 2 November 1994)

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his most recent assessment of the number of jobs which will be lost following the implementation1178W of his proposals for local government reform; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Stewart
Our estimate of the reduction in posts resulting from reform of local government in Scotland ranges from 220 to 1,800, well under 1 per cent. of the total of local government employees. The eventual outcome is of course dependent on the organisational and staffing decisions taken by the new authorities, during the shadow year and beyond.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy that any new authorities created as a result of local government reorganisation should be capable of directly providing the full range of public and support services within their own resources.

§ Mr. Stewart
The Government's policy, as set out in the White Paper"Shaping the Future—The New Councils" Cm 2267, is that the proposed new councils should have available a range of service delivery options, including direct provision, joint arrangements of various kinds with other councils and contracting with external suppliers. It will be for each new council to decide how best it can fulfil its statutory obligations with the maximum effectiveness and efficiency.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy not to implement changes to local government structures which are likely to place jobs at risk.

§ Mr. Stewart
It has never been a policy of this Government to place jobs at risk. The reform of local government in Scotland is intended to make councils more responsive to the wishes of their citizens, and more effective in the delivery of services. With the removal of unnecessary duplication, it seems likely that fewer staff will be required in the new structure. But we estimate that the reduction in posts will be significantly less than 1 per cent. and with sensible planning by authorities most of this could be found by natural wastage and early retirement measures. Large job losses would imply that local government is currently overmanned.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent assessment he has made of the extent to which his proposals for local government reform would require joint arrangements between local authorities and the contracting of functions in order to maintain both services and facilities at their current levels.

§ Mr. Stewart
Under the proposed new local government structure, councils will, as now, have a range of options available to them in terms of how they carry out their functions. These will include entering into joint arrangements of various kinds with other councils and contracting with external suppliers. It will he for each new council to decide how best it can fulfil its statutory obligations with the maximum effectiveness and efficiency.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if it is his intention to ensure that, following the implementation of his proposals for local government reform, a package of staff protection and compensation measures will be available which will be at least as beneficial to staff as those arrangements which were put into practice after the last reorganisation of local government; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Stewart
The Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill provides that staff who transfer by order will do so 1179W on existing terms and conditions of service. In addition, there exists an extensive framework of employment protection legislation, much of which was not available at the time of the last reorganisation of local government in Scotland. The Secretary of State is currently considering what compensation arrangements should apply in the light of the advice he has received from the Staff Advisory Committee, now the shadow Staff Commission, the views expressed by local authorities in response to consultation and the proposals for England and Wales. Draft regulations are expected to be published by the end of the year.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to establish a mandatory national framework to maintain continuity of employment for those affected by changes in local government as a result of his proposals, together with full protection of terms and conditions of employment and service; if he will provide sufficient resources, in addition to those required for the maintenance of services at their present levels, to ensure that such protection is available to all of the affected employees; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Stewart
In addition to the protection afforded by existing employment law, the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill provides specifically that staff who transfer by order will do so with their existing terms and conditions intact. The Bill also includes safeguards with regard to continuity of service of local government employees. The protection which will be afforded by the Act, following Royal Assent, and by existing employment legislation will place legal requirements and obligations on new authorities which will be taken into account in the local government finance settlements for 1995–96 and subsequent years.