HC Deb 22 July 2004 vol 424 cc476-7W
Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer based on the 2004 Spending Review, how many civil service jobs he estimates will be lost in the area of Coventry, South; from which Departments and agencies; and what assessment he has made of the likely effect on services to the public. [185279]

Mr. Boateng

There will be an overall gross reduction in posts of 84,150 by 2008 and Departments will pursue these reductions in line with business need. It is not yet possible to say where reductions will happen on a geographic or departmental basis as Departments are still developing these plans.

Mr. Hammond

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what controls he is proposing to ensure that Civil Service job cuts as a result of his announcements in Budget 2004 and Spending Review 2004 are not replaced by consultants hired by departments but not on departmental payrolls. [186121]

Mr. Boateng

The civil service job cuts are being made because new technology enables us to reduce the number of personnel required to deliver services. The 2004 Spending Review also announced that every department is required to consider and agree with the Office of Government Commerce by December 2004 how to pursue improvements in the value for money of all procurement of external professional services.

Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his announcement on 12 July, how many Civil Service posts he expects to be(a) abolished and (b) re-assigned to front line services in each Government Department and agency. [185367]

Mr. Boateng

[holding answer 20 July 2004]With the detailed plans Departments are publishing for the years to 2008, the Chancellor announced at the Spending Review a gross reduction in civil service posts of 84,150— of which 13,550 posts will be reassigned to frontline services to release resourced from administration to invest in the front line.

The Devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales and the Northern Ireland Office have also announced that they are engaged in Spending Review efficiency and evaluation exercises as ambitious as those in England—with reductions also in back office and related areas; and with the 2.5 per cent. annual efficiency savings applied to the settlement for local government in England, this allows for a reduction of a further 20,000.

Public Servants asked to change jobs will be offered support with retraining and we are ready to work with the work force and their unions to provide that help.

Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what definition he uses of frontline for the purposes of his announcement on12 July about reductions in civil service staff; and which posts in each Department and agency fall within that definition.[185369]

Mr. Boateng

[holding answer 20 July 2004]The 2004 Spending Review announced reductions of 84,150 posts by 2008. Of this, 13,550 posts will be redeployed to key frontline areas in HM Revenue and Customs, the Department for Transport or the Department for Work and Pensions. These redeployments from back office functions will enable increases in key frontline roles, for example personal advisors in Job Centre Plus.