Budget cuts: FDA warns public service reform may suffer

The FDA, the union for senior public servants including senior civil servants in the Home Office, welcomes the report published on the inquiry into criminal records saying that it provides 'a balancing context' to how the backlog of 27,000 criminal records arose. The FDA's national officer for the Home Office, Rob O'Neill, said: "The FDA welcomes the report which we believe sets out the facts and provides a balancing context in which the backlog of criminal records arose." It is also clear from the report that:

• The police and other expert advisers such as the National Criminal Intelligence Service had considered the information contained within the records (Article 22 notifications) to be of poor quality and of little value.
• The vast majority of the information related to minor offences such as traffic violations and it was widely believed that information regarding more serious offences which could impact public protection was being received by other channels such as Interpol.
• That Home Office officials had been persuaded by expert opinion that the information was of low importance, and in an environment where resources do not match priorities Home Office staff would have been more focused on other more immediate priorities.

"The report also identifies some systemic weaknesses in Home Office procedures but points out that these issues are generally being addressed by a programme of reform that commenced in 2006. "It is important to keep perspective on these findings, and consider them in the context of the circumstances of the time. The Home Office – and the world- has changed considerably in recent years. The FDA is working closely with the Home Office to help ensure that the department has effective systems and resources to meet the challenges it has been set." ### Notes for Editors 1. The FDA is the trade union and professional body representing 17,000 of the UK's senior civil and public servants. Our members include policy advisors, senior managers, tax inspectors, economists, statisticians, accountants, special advisers, government lawyers, diplomats, crown prosecutors and NHS managers. 2. The FDA (formerly First Division Association) should be referred to simply as "The FDA" and can be described as "the senior public servants' union". 3. For further information contact: Jessica Stark, FDA head of communications, tel. 020 7401 5587 or 07967 484 441.