Government departments have started to prepare their staff for job losses ahead of this autumn’s spending review, Coffee House has learned. George Osborne wants ministers to cut as much as 40 per cent from unprotected spending pots, which means that departments are likely to shed staff – or even close.
The Energy and Climate Change department, which is one such unprotected department, has started to talk to its staff about the need to have a smaller workforce in future. The department is not yet talking about specific redundancies, but it is preparing for bigger cuts due in the comprehensive spending review, which will be unveiled on 25 November.
A spokesperson for DECC says:
‘We have begin driving efficiencies across the department ahead of the spending review in the autumn, which includes reviewing how we operate in a more focused and efficient way.’
But it may be that those bigger cuts turn out to be the closure and merger of certain departments.
Get Britain's best politics newsletters
Register to get The Spectator's insight and opinion straight to your inbox. You can then read two free articles each week.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in