§ Mr. RapsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the outcome of consultation with his Department's trades union officials about the recommendations of the efficiency review of the Pay and Personnel Agency. [63145]
§ Mr. SpellarFurther to my reply to the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Robertson) on 28 October 1998,Official Report, column 206, the consultation process is now complete. I have accepted the recommendations of the efficiency review, including the closure of the Worcester office, but in the light of representations made by the Trade Unions I have agreed that the implementation of certain other recommendations from the review should be delayed until later next year. These adjustments to the timetable will help the handling of the important changes in the way the agency conducts its business but will not significantly affect the savings anticipated in the PPA's running costs in the next financial year. The implementation of the review's proposals, especially those concerning the transfer of pensions work from Worcester to Cheadle Hulme, will be sufficiently flexible to ensure the effective transfer of existing skills and will include a contingency to meet any changing demands upon the agency. I am today informing the MOD Trade Unions of my decision.