Extra 24,000 Civil Servants Employed To Meet Labour Targets

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th Jul 2003

The new Civil Service Statistics published today show that the main form filling agencies now employ over 200,000 people. Since 1997, 24,000 extra civil servants have been employed to deal with Labour's target-led policies.

David Laws MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: "Labour's centralisation drive is getting out of hand. Whitehall is bloated with form fillers costing the taxpayer over £10bn a year, and costs are still rising."

"A lot of the extra money earmarked for public services is clearly not going to the frontline, but to the expansion of central Government, with all the waste and duplication that entails."

"With public finances deteriorating rapidly, money must get through to schools and hospitals. It's time we slimmed on bureaucracy and pushed taxpayers money to where it is desperately needed."

ENDS

Notes To Editors - The new publications can be found at:

http://www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics/whatsnew.htm>

1. Numbers of non industrial civil servants up 24,000 since 1997, pages 2 & 18.

2. Increased numbers partly due to centralisation - OFSTED have 'become responsible for the inspection of childminders and playgroups. Many staff transferred in from local authorities' page 2.

3. Increased numbers partly due to form filling - Inland Revenue recruited 1,200 to deal with 'increased workloads' and 'preparation for the new Tax Credits'. The main 'form filling' agencies dealing with tax and benefits employ over 200,000 people.

4. The Cabinet Office/ Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - with no clearly defined role employs 2,020 people - almost half as many as the security services.

5. The Public expenditure statistical analyses 2003 (HM Treasury) Form fillers administrative costs (Inland Revenue, Customs & Excise, Work and Pensions) increased from £6,961m in 1998-9 to £10,095m in 2003-4 and is expected to increase to £10,367m in 2005/6.