Comments on: Civil Service cuts http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/05/12/530 Every day the Prime Minister's Spokesman meets a small coterie of political journalists known as 'the lobby' for a topical chat, or 'briefing'. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:01:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Uncarved Block http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/05/12/530#comment-946 Uncarved Block Fri, 14 May 2004 14:12:48 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/05/12/530#comment-946 Civil service numbers have been in a decline (with some short term fluctuations) for the past 25 years. People complain about the decline in the standard of public services but never seem to connect this to the decline in people engaged in delivering them. Too many years of thacherite brainwashing Civil service numbers have been in a decline (with some short term fluctuations) for the past 25 years.

People complain about the decline in the standard of public services but never seem to connect this to the decline in people engaged in delivering them. Too many years of thacherite brainwashing

]]> By: Gregory Block http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/05/12/530#comment-944 Gregory Block Fri, 14 May 2004 13:56:28 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/05/12/530#comment-944 Civil Service jobs will get cut because they were boosted by the government during the last economic cycle to prop up growth and employment figures. Civil Service employment goes up and down with the spending cycle; always has, always will. Civil Service jobs will get cut because they were boosted by the government during the last economic cycle to prop up growth and employment figures. Civil Service employment goes up and down with the spending cycle; always has, always will.

]]> By: Uncarved Block http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/05/12/530#comment-932 Uncarved Block Wed, 12 May 2004 21:11:52 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/05/12/530#comment-932 How can you make savings 'through modernisation'? Just because a system is more modern it doesn't mean that you need less people to operate it. The discussions about civil service numbers are full of this meaningless twaddle. All parties are pledging to cut the number of civil servants but non of them have said why. Non of the parties have said which jobs will no longer need doing. Non of them have said how systems will be made more efficient to require less staff. Non of them have said how this will make life better for taxpayers. Public sector admin costs are tiny compared to overall public expenditure so why are politicians making such a big thing about how many civil servants they employ? There only seem two explanations to me. Either they have no understanding of public sector finances or they are just trying to throw up a smokescreen to cover up the billions of pounds that are wasted through politicians incompetence. On a final point, whatever happened to democratic choice? I want to vote for a party that will increase the public sector (renationalise transport, energy etc) not reduce it. How can you make savings ‘through modernisation’? Just because a system is more modern it doesn’t mean that you need less people to operate it.

The discussions about civil service numbers are full of this meaningless twaddle. All parties are pledging to cut the number of civil servants but non of them have said why. Non of the parties have said which jobs will no longer need doing. Non of them have said how systems will be made more efficient to require less staff. Non of them have said how this will make life better for taxpayers.

Public sector admin costs are tiny compared to overall public expenditure so why are politicians making such a big thing about how many civil servants they employ? There only seem two explanations to me. Either they have no understanding of public sector finances or they are just trying to throw up a smokescreen to cover up the billions of pounds that are wasted through politicians incompetence.

On a final point, whatever happened to democratic choice? I want to vote for a party that will increase the public sector (renationalise transport, energy etc) not reduce it.

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