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Civil service compensation scheme raised at Prime Minister's Question Time

2 December 2009

As a result of PCS parliamentary campaigning on the civil service compensation scheme the issue was raised today in the House of Commons during Prime Minister's Question Time.

PCS members had contacted Dai Havard MP (Labour, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) as part of our campaign to defend members’ entitlements.

Mr Havard expressed his concern to the prime minister that the proposals to change the CSCS were being used to slash the entitlements for lower paid staff. He asked that no legislation would be introduced until an agreement was made with the unions.

Gordon Brown did not answer the question directly but argued that changes to the system were required.

Our national executive committee has agreed that we should continue to pursue discussions with the employer with the aim of finding an acceptable agreement.

However, the civil service unions have had to write to ministers expressing our concern at the lack of progress in negotiations so far. Therefore, we must also prepare for legal action and industrial action should talks fail to produce an acceptable outcome.

Well over 1,000 members have already written to their MP on the issue, in addition to the 18,000 who responded to the Cabinet Office consultation and 35,000 who attended PCS briefings on the topic.

We are continuing to call on all members to contact their local MPs to oppose the government’s proposals which need to be approved by parliament. Clearly, the lobbying carried out so far has had an effect. We must keep up the pressure.

Please write to your MP, or email using the facility on this website and attend his or her surgery making clear you oppose the government’s proposals.

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