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Responding to yesterday's pre-budget report, PCS warned that civil and public services would continue to suffer if further 'efficiency savings' were made at the expense of jobs and services.

80,000 jobs have already gone across the civil and public sector, with tens of thousands more planed by 2011 including, 10,000 in the Ministry of Justice, 12,500 in Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and 10,000 in the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Whilst extra resources and 2,000 jobs for Jobcentres have been announced, the union understands that Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) remains committed to cutting approximately a further 10,000 in the rest of the department.

The union went on to warn that further job cuts and office closures in areas such as tax would damage public services and be bad for the economy.

The union urged the government to reverse its job cuts and office closure programme across civil and public services to safeguard services delivered to the public.

Commenting, Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said: “Further efficiency savings of £5 billion should not be a prelude to yet more job cuts, office closures and privatisation.

"Key public services, such as justice, welfare and tax are already struggling to cope against a backdrop of massive job cuts and office closures.

“Whilst the promise of additional funds for jobcentres is welcome, the government needs to reverse its job cuts programme across civil and public services to safeguard their delivery.

 

“Whilst the promise of additional funds for jobcentres is welcome, the government needs to reverse its job cuts programme across civil and public services to safeguard their delivery.

"For example the government should be looking at tackling the £21.5 billion worth of uncollected tax and £25 billion lost through tax evasion, by putting more resources into HMRC to claw back the billions in lost revenue, which could be ploughed into public services and stimulate the economy.”