Comments on: In 2014 the Treasury replied to less than half of letters from MPs

By: Keith M

Keith M — Sat, 06 Jun 2015 10:20:00 +0000

Are you surprised? We are only wanted when it comes to elections. – the rest of the time we are treated with contempt. Democracy – where?

By: Cole

Cole — Sat, 06 Jun 2015 09:53:00 +0000

In reply to Selohesra.

We couldn’t have ordinary people – who pay for all this stuff – asking awkward questions, could we?

By: Selohesra

Selohesra — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 12:49:00 +0000

Who is writing all these letters to the departments?

By: montypython

montypython — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 20:20:00 +0000

The Institute for Government says “The number of civil servants has been cut by more than 70,000 since the
Spending Review in 2010…..Particular departments – DWP, HMRC, MoJ and MoD – account for most of the reduction in absolute terms, given their size. The biggest headcount reductions in percentage terms have come at the most junior (administrative officers and assistants) levels.” (http://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/civil-service-workforce).

AOs and EOs do the heavy lifting on correspondence so it’s unsurprising that these figures have suffered in departments like DCLG where Pickles (and overpromoted yes-man Kerslake) were the happiest cutters of all. Neat symmetry in the numbers – 42% of DCLG staff wasted, 42% of letters answered on time. Of course no Ministers have been cut – still the same number of DCLG Ministers (six) as in 2010.