§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost savings arising from the reduction of 40,500 Civil Service jobs in(a) each of the years between now and 2008 and (b) the following five years; and if he will make a statement. [163855]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Budget announced that the Department for Work and Pensions has put forward plans to reduce its total staffing by 30,000 between now and 2008. These staff reductions will achieve a total gross administration saving of around £600 million a year in 2003–04 prices.
The Budget also announced the integration of HM Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue. The creation of a single revenue department, along with existing plans and proposed efficiency reforms, will create scope for an overall staff reduction equivalent to 10,500 posts by 2008. The location and nature of staffing changes will be determined in detailed business planning to be undertaken by the revenue departments and their new Executive Chairman, when appointed, who will be consulting as appropriate with all key stakeholders including trade unions.