Union welcomes recognition of dedicated and hardworking staff - 17 December 2007

The FDA, the union representing senior managers and professionals in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), today welcomed the interim report from the Poynter inquiry and the publication of the department's Capability Review.

Following the serious loss of data relating to child benefit recipients, PricewaterhouseCoopers chairman Kieran Poynter was asked to conduct a review to establish the circumstances which led to the loss.

Paul Whiteman, FDA HMRC lead official, said:
"The FDA notes the observations made by Kieran Poynter regarding the complicated matrices of accountability within HMRC. The union also welcomes today's announcement that a more coherent top management structure is to be introduced. The need to simplify lines of accountability, which is also underlined by the Capability Review, is an issue the FDA highlighted in its evidence to the Public Accounts Committee earlier in the year."

Whiteman added: "The findings of the Capability Review highlight the strengths of HMRC in continuing to deliver the resources needed to provide better public services while the two departments were merged. The review also recognises that within HMRC there are 'a large number of very bright and committed people with high levels of professional competence' and some 'truly inspirational' managers.

"The FDA is proud of its members in HMRC. Recent events have obscured the positive aspects of the department and the substantial contribution made by committed professional public servants. The FDA is pleased that the Chancellor recognised the 'dedicated and hardworking staff' in the department in his statement to the House of Commons this afternoon.

Responding to the recommendation that the pace of change within the department should be accelerated, Whiteman said: "Our members are managing a massive change agenda with fewer and fewer resources. Faster change may provide some much needed certainty for staff and customers, but changes need to be well designed, correctly funded and introduced with appropriate sensitivity for the dedicated public servants affected. Quick change must not equal bad change."

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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