Authorities sources mentioned the civil service had develop into too giant and unwieldy after it noticed an growth because of Brexit and the COVID pandemic.
There are at present 513,000 full-time civil servants in Whitehall, a rise of 133,000 from a low of about 380,000 in 2016.
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves this week ordered departments to make 5% financial savings, which she mentioned she has “no doubt” they will discover.
Departments have been informed it’s as much as them to search out the financial savings.
The sources mentioned ministers are planning to chop greater than 10,000 workers from central authorities to fulfill the ordered cuts.
“However we is not going to set an arbitrary headcount goal.
“The Tories tried that and ended up spending loads on more expensive consultants.”
After successful the election in July, Labour dropped the Conservatives’ goal to cap the civil service to its October 2023 headcount of 488,000.
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Sir Chris Wormald will begin his new function as head of the civil service subsequent week. File pic: Tayfun Salci/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
Cupboard Workplace minister Pat McFadden refused to say earlier this week if there was a goal for workers reductions, however mentioned he needs them to make use of options like AI to make them extra productive.
He mentioned the civil service must have a “start-up” mindset as he referred to as on “disruptors, innovators and creative thinkers” to assist make the civil service extra productive.
Final week, Sir Keir Starmer accused “too many people in Whitehall” of being “comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline”.
Mike Clancy, basic secretary of the Prospect commerce union, mentioned: “We need a clear plan for the future of the civil service that goes beyond the blunt headcount targets that have failed in the past.
“This plan must be developed in partnership with civil servants and their unions, and we look ahead to deeper engagement with the federal government within the coming months.”
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June will see the first-ever strategic workforce plan for the civil service, which is able to take a look at the scale and form of Whitehall and whether or not it’s match for contemporary authorities.
Requested if that will imply fewer civil servants, Cat Little, the Cupboard Workplace’s everlasting secretary, informed MPs final week: “It is absolutely imperative that the civil service becomes more efficient, more productive and takes advantage of technology to become less dependent on people.”
Pressed on whether or not which may imply a smaller headcount of redeploying individuals, she mentioned: “Exactly, and it has to work in tandem with the work we are doing on reducing consultancy and contingent labour.”
Ms Little mentioned some departments have already begun “voluntary exit schemes” however mentioned it was key that high-performing workers weren’t inspired to go away.
A authorities spokesman mentioned: “Under our plan for change, we are making sure every part of government is delivering on working people’s priorities – delivering growth, putting more money in people’s pockets, getting the NHS back on its feet, rebuilding Britain and securing our borders in a decade of national renewal.
“We’re dedicated to creating the civil service extra environment friendly and efficient, with daring measures to enhance expertise and harness new applied sciences.”
