United Kingdom Public Servants have been warned the Government still plans to make significant reductions in the bureaucracy, but headcounts will be based on “outcomes” rather than arbitrary targets.
Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak scrapped his predecessor, Boris Johnson’s plans to cut 91,000 jobs, instead asking every Department to “look for the most effective ways to secure value and maximise efficiency within budgets”.
Asked if the Government was still committed to reducing the size of the Public Service, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden said: “Yes is the short answer”.
“I think the only difference is that we will be driven by outcomes. Budget pressures are going to force better ways of working and certainly a reduction in headcount as well,” Mr Dowden (pictured) said.
Departments are currently working on proposals, as part of the Government’s Efficiency and Savings Review, to reduce costs as soaring inflation has eaten into budgets.
Mr Dowden said all Departments would be presenting this information by the end of February, with the Government aiming to report on the review’s progress in the Northern spring.
However, the Public Service’s Chief Operating Officer, Alex Chisholm said he would be fighting to protect project delivery, commercial and digital roles.
Mr Chisholm said despite an increase in the number of qualified professionals working in these areas in the in the past decade, more were still needed.
“When we’ve been doing benchmarking exercises with the highest performing organisations in the wider economy we find that actually we need more of, rather than fewer, roles like project delivery, commercial and digital,” Mr Chisholm said.
“So I think it’s very important that as we go through the Efficiency and Savings Review, we are careful to make sure we don’t over-squeeze in those areas which are so important to future efficiency and performance.”
London, 28 January 2023
