Union gives evidence to Public Administration Select Committee

FDA general secretary Jonathan Baume this morning gave evidence to the House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee's inquiry into the Government's plans to reform public bodies.

MPs asked questions to representatives from the FDA, Prospect, PCS and the Council of Civil Service Unions about the importance of Civil Service Live events, before moving to the arms length bodies whose functions are to be taken back into core departments.

Baume said that it was very hard to define what the cost savings would be from the process of cutting these bodies. And he said that the experience in Wales, where arms length bodies had been merged into the Welsh Assembly Government, had caused "second tier issues" of people being brought in on higher salaries.

The committee also asked questions about performance management, which Baume said was an economy-wide issue. He added: "I don't think the civil service is any worse or any better [than other sectors]."

PASC evidence session
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=6927
(starts 7 min 38 sec into recording)