The
Pubic and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has criticised the Government for
making further structural changes following the break-up of the Department for
Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR).
The
DTLR has been split up following the
resignation of Steven Byers, with responsibility for local government and the
regions now going to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.
However,
PCS general secretary Barry Reamsbottom has raised concerns over the affect it
could have on civil service staff. "The PCS is obviously concerned about
the enormous upheaval involved in splitting a department of 12,000 staff. This
will be the third major structural change faced by our members in this area since
Labour came to power in 1997," he said.
He
urged the Government to enter into discussion with unions and staff to make the
transition as smooth as possible.
The
PCS did welcome the appointment of Paul Boateng as Chief Secretary to the
Treasury, making him Britain’s first black cabinet minister, and Reamsbottom
said he hoped it would encourage more diversity in the civil service:
"It
is long overdue to have a black minister in the Cabinet and I hope this sends a
strong message on diversity to the whole civil service, particularly the upper
echelons," he said.
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