WIREDGOV

Responding to today's pre-budget report and comprehensive spending review (CSR), PCS warned that more departmental budget cuts disguised as efficiency savings would further damage frontline services such as getting people back into work, the justice system and tax.

Pointing to budget cuts in a number of government departments including Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the union accused the government of a u-turn over its acceptance that going further than Gershon's recommendations on so called efficiency savings would put the delivery of frontline services at risk.

The union questioned the ability of the government to make a further £30 billion worth of so called efficiency savings when the present drive was already impacting on the quality of service. The union went on to warn of a further deterioration in services and the loss of more civil and public service jobs.

The CSR and pre-budget report comes as PCS members are voting on further national strike action across the civil service as part of the union's campaign against job cuts, below inflation pay and privatisation. The campaign has already seen two strongly supported national one day strikes this year. The ballot result is expected to be announced on 23 October.

Commenting, Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said: "Services are already being cut to the bone. Now the government have signalled, under the cover of yet more so called efficiency savings that they will go back on their own advice by cutting services to the marrow, without any real understanding of the damage it will have on the quality of services. The so called efficiency agenda has already resulted in the spiralling use of consultants, backlogs of post in HMRC, as well as delays in people getting help back into work and the closure of over 500 jobcentres and benefit offices.

"These additional cuts confirmed today will lead to 25,000 jobs going in HMRC by 2011 and puts a serious risk on the government's ability to deliver on key priorities."

Concluding, he said: "Civil and public servants working in over 200 government departments and agencies have already been forced to take industrial action twice this year over jobs, services and below inflation pay rises. Sadly today's announcement raises the spectre of more job cuts and heightens the possibility of further industrial action, unless civil service management and government sit down with the unions and properly negotiate over the key issues of jobs, pay and privatisation."