FDA signs protocol for constructive handling of job cuts across the civil service - 2 April 2008

The FDA today cautiously welcomed the Chancellor's Budget announcement of a Public Value Programme that would look at all areas of public spending to see if there is more scope to improve value for money.

FDA general secretary Jonathan Baume said:

"The FDA supports any examination of sensible ways to create more efficient government, but there is a trap here for ministers. Too often in the past ministers have simply focussed on cost reductions with no serious analysis of the implications of cutting critical posts or other resources. This can have the longer-term and obviously perverse consequence of undermining the efficiency of public services.

"Public servants will also be sceptical about the Chancellor's forecast for falling inflation in 2009, when faced with substantially increasing mortgage, food and fuel costs at a time when pay increases continue to be capped."

Notes for Editors

1. The FDA is the trade union and professional body representing 18,000 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. Members in HMRC are represented by the Association of Revenue and Customs (ARC), a section of the FDA.
3. The FDA (formerly the First Division Association) should be referred to simply as "The FDA" and can be described as "the senior public servants' union".
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