FDA WARNS AGAINST SCAPEGOATING CIVIL SERVANTS

The FDA today responded to the Home Secretary's letter to John Denham released this afternoon indicating that 'management action' had been taken against two civil servants. FDA general secretary Jonathan Baume said: "The FDA believes that ministers must be accountable to Parliament for their department, and that civil servants are also accountable for their own direct actions. "The FDA will give our full support to any member against whom management action is taken to ensure that there is a fair and objective process before final decisions are taken. "It is important that the media does not pre-empt proper employment or disciplinary procedures by assuming culpability. Nor will the current problems being experienced in the home office be resolved by attempts to scapegoat any individual." Notes for Editors: 1. The FDA is the trade union and professional body representing 16,000 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 7343 1120 or 07967 484 441.