WIREDGOV

The Public & Commercial Services union (PCS) responded with anger today at the announcement by the Forensic Science Service (FSS) of up to 800 job losses over the next two years. The announcement followed a statement from the Minister for Crime Reduction, Alan Campbell MP, which only appeared to ensure that the FSS would remain publicly owned for the foreseeable future.

The FSS, formerly an Executive Agency of the Home Office, but since 2005 a wholly owned Government Company (GovCo) in which Ministers act as the sole shareholder, are embarking upon a business transformation programme which will last until mid-2011 and is likely to result in:

• A 40% headcount reduction approximately 800 jobs could be lost
• The closure of at least one FSS laboratory
• Streaming of work at the sites that remain (i.e. specialist sites for fibres, firearms, sexual offences etc rather than the current generalist approach) leading to redundancies or forced relocations of staff
• A major restructuring of pay, reward, redundancy terms and other conditions of employment

The FSS claim this programme is essential to ensure the financial stability of the business but unions fear that the organisation is being ripened up for privatisation and is already facing increased competition.

Peter Middleman, PCS Negotiations Officer commented: The FSS continues to play a pivotal role in our criminal justice system but there can be no doubt that the Home Office have undermined its ability to perform to its full potential by actively encouraging profiteers in a sector that should be about the public interest.

Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary, added: The obsession with the market has led to tens of millions of pounds worth of work leaching away from the FSS, which was formerly a world leader in forensics and crime detection, to a small number of competitors whose sole purpose is profit rather than the needs of the public or victims of crime. We will not countenance savage cuts now merely to make the FSS more attractive to private sector buyers in three years time.