PCS calls for urgent meeting as permanent secretary announces mass MOD cuts
PCS has called for an urgent meeting with defence ministers after permanent secretary David Williams told MPs today that thousands of civil service jobs are likely to go at the Ministry of Defence over the coming 5 years.
As reported by Civil Service World, the senior civil servant told the parliamentary defence committee this morning that he expected to see a headcount reduction in the region of 10% over the course of the current parliament. He said present numbers are in the region of 56,800 – with the implication that the MoD will have at least 5,000 fewer full-time equivalent staff by the end of the decade.
PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote said: “We had been given no warning this was coming. To announce job cuts in parliament and talk about 10% of MoD jobs being lost as a ‘jumping-off point’ is hugely disrespectful to our hard-working members, who deserve better from their employer.
“Our members in the MoD are doing essential work in keeping the country running and we shall not let them, or other dedicated public servants pay the price for the previous government’s financial black hole.
“We demand an urgent meeting with ministers to get to the bottom of what is happening at the MoD but, rest assured, PCS will fight for every job because we believe our members’ commitment should be recognised and rewarded, not dismissed in the Houses of Parliament.”