Staffing levels at risk again in public spending cuts
Whitehall could lose as many as 100,000 civil servants over the next five years as the government continues its efforts to dramatically reduce public spending, the FDA union has warned.
Dave Penman, the head of FDA – the trade union for UK senior civil servants and public service professionals – said just 40 per cent of the total job cuts outlined in the chancellor’s Autumn Statement had been made so far.
The further 60 per cent could mean the loss of 100,000 more jobs, following the nearly 90,000 cut under the coalition, he said.
“The DWP could lose 20,000 to 30,000 staff, the HMRC could lose 10,000 to 15,000 ... it is greater cuts than over the last five years and most of that is based around staffing, so it is not surprising,” Penman said.
“That is what the civil service is expecting, it is certainly what we are expecting. We are back to the 1930s level of spending.”
According to ONS figures, more than 87,000 civil servants have been laid off since 2010, reducing headcount to under 440,000 –the lowest since the second world war.
Francis Maude, former cabinet office minister, led the first round of governmental cuts under the coalition. He said the aim was to deliver £10bn worth of savings from the Whitehall budget by 2017-18, rising to a potential £15bn to £20bn by 2019-20.
Last week, the newly elected Matthew Hancock MP, was given the task of continuing the reform of the civil service, which means staffing levels are once again under the scrutiny, Penman said.
“You need to match commitments with resources – you can’t just cut that amount, then say ‘get on with it’,” he told The Guardian.
A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “The minister will set out his priorities for this Parliament in due course. Anything else at this stage, one week into his tenure, is purely speculation but all is working well so far and we have a strong, cohesive centre.”