- The Government believes that effective defence depends on well-trained, highly skilled and highly motivated people. People issues therefore formed a key part of the SDR, which acknowledged that the needs and expectations of our people have a place alongside the structural and equipment issues that have driven other reviews.
- We are committed to well-targeted personnel strategies, and have introduced a series of individual measures to address key areas such as overstretch, undermanning, education, training and development, and welfare.
- We will not be able to achieve everything overnight but we are committed to driving these issues forward in the context of a coherent long-term policy for people.
For Service Personnel
- Overstretch and undermanning feed off each other and produce a vicious circle which is the cause of many of our problems. To deal with them, we will increase the size of the Armed Forces where overstretch is worst and make changes in structure and organisation to spread the load of operational commitments more sensibly. The main changes are:
- additional logistic support and medical units;
- formation of a sixth deployable Army brigade;
- reductions in destroyers and frigates, submarines and combat aircraft while maintaining personnel numbers which will help alleviate short-term gapping in the front-line. We will also ensure that commitments are matched to available resources.
Underpinning these measures is a commitment by all three Services to full manning as their highest priority.
- Giving our people better education benefits them, defence and Britain. We are therefore launching an important education and training initiative:
- all new entrants to the Armed Forces will have the opportunity to gain the six key skills identified by the Department of Education and Employment as being essential in the workplace (working with other people; effective communication, including written skills; the ability to work with numbers; use of IT; developing earning skills; and problem solving);
- all Service personnel will be given the opportunity to achieve recognised qualifications to S/NVQ Level 2 within three years of joining, or the duration of minimum engagement if longer;
- the value of the Individual Refund Scheme will be increased substantially. We intend that this will become an Individual Learning Account scheme in due course;
- a major new scheme will be introduced to provide funding for training and education after a career in the Services;
- personal development records will be introduced for all Service personnel to provide a record of qualifications and experience gained throughout a career in the Services;
- Service children's education overseas will be enhanced to bring it into line with DfEE initiatives.
- We will also improve welfare arrangements:
- the telephone call allowance for Service personnel on eligible operations will be increased to 10 minutes per week;
- the introduction for all Service personnel of a common leave entitlement in 1999 will entitle all ranks to 30 working days leave per year (the "working days", in this context, are Monday to Friday.)
- Service personnel deployed continuously on eligible operations for more than 10 months will receive an extra rest and recuperation flight;
- existing provision for help and advice for those who have left the Services will be enhanced through the creation of a veterans advice cell.
- These measures are part of a long term strategy. In the longer term:
- there are plans in place to raise the standard of some single living accommodation;
- a Service families task force will be established to address concerns over access to accommodation, education and medical services;
- we intend to introduce a career transition partnership to support those leaving the Armed Forces after more than five years service, and enhanced job finding support will be provided for those who have given between three and five years service;
- work is in hand for the introduction by 1 April 2000 of a new pay structure for the Armed Forces, based on a system of job evaluation;
- a review of compensation arrangements will be undertaken to establish clear criteria for awards and set benefits consistent with the legitimate expectations of Service men and women.
For Civilian Personnel
- The Government recognises the key contribution which civilian staff make to the defence effort and this has been explicitly recognised in the Review, with a corresponding commitment to explain and put into practice improved policies for civilian management.
- Priority Action Areas: The key issues for priority action already identified have been endorsed:
- clearer career information and guidance;
- greater encouragement for professional development and training;
- active promotion of equal opportunities measures and training targeted to achieve results;
- reduced and clearer central regulation and more responsive flexible systems including simpler pay and grading arrangements;
- better upward and downward communication.
- Considerable progress has already been achieved.
- Career information, training and development:
- a manual of career development guidance has been published and will be progressively updated and reinforced;
- investment in training and development has been increased and the infrastructure for delivery expanded and brought up to date with modern technology;
- involvement in interchange and voluntary programmes such as the Princes Trust is being increased;
- support is being extended for an increasing number of staff studying for professional qualifications, including MBAs and schemes for obtaining S/NVQs introduced.
- Equal Opportunities:
- action plans are being implemented covering equal opportunities measures for women, ethnic minority and disabled staff;
- all line managers of civilian staff - Service and Civilian - will undergo appropriate equal opportunities training over the next three years;
- nursery arrangements are available in an increased number of locations. Family friendly policies will continue to be developed through, for example, opportunities for flexible working.
- all personnel management policies and procedures have been reviewed to check that they conform with the requirement of the Disability Discrimination Act.
- Pay and Conditions:
- simpler pay arrangements have been introduced for non-industrial staff and a streamlined and less complex grading structure is being brought in next year;
- terms and conditions for industrial and non-industrial staff will be brought into line where appropriate.
- Investors in People (IiP):
- the IiP programme will ensure that any gaps between the IiP standard and departmental practice are bridged and help to improve communications;
- rigorous independent assessment will ensure policies are put into practice on the ground.
- Reorganisation and Transfer of Work:
- future reorganisation will be based on pragmatism and value for money not dogma;
- a code of practice will ensure that the fullest attention is given to staff matters for any personnel transferred from the Civil Service.
IMPACT ON CIVILIAN STAFF
Key Points
- The Government recognises the quality of MOD's civilian staff and that they are a key element of Britain's defence effort. This has been taken fully into account throughout the SDR.
- There will be increasing emphasis on staff development, training and management in accordance with best IiP standards, to enable all to acquire the skills, knowledge and experience to achieve their potential wherever they may serve (see the fact sheet on "Policy for People").
- There is no across-the-board target for post reductions.
- There remains much detailed work to be done. The aim of this fact sheet is to provide you with as much information as possible now. However the figures quoted below are a guide based on the best information currently available. They should not be regarded as a final and definitive statement of the impact of the SDR on civilian post numbers.
Background
- The SDR has been policy driven with an emphasis on providing modern, effective and flexible forces. At its centre has been an acknowledgment that the MOD's military and civilian staff are of the highest quality, and a recognition of the need to maintain and motivate this workforce to provide the best possible defence for Britain.
Changes for Civilian Staff
- For civilian staff the longer term impact of the various policy changes is still being assessed in further, more detailed studies. As implications for civilian staff become known, the appropriate Trades Unions will be consulted under the normal procedures and in the new spirit of partnership that has been developing prior to and as a key part of the SDR.
- It is possible to make some estimates of the impact for civilian staff. Compared to previous plans, we currently estimate that the number of civilian staff will reduce by approximately 1,400 over the next four years. We envisage that some 550 Non Regular Permanent Staff appointments will also disappear over the same period. But there is no target for an overall percentage reduction and in some areas there will be increases in civilian posts.
- The bulk of these changes are expected to occur in the following areas:
- The Procurement Executive: as a result of the Smart Procurement Initiative the Procurement Executive will run projects using integrated project teams of staff with new acquisition functional competencies. Taken with existing plans we expect that there will be a reduction of up to 650 posts over the next three years.
- The Logistic Support Area: both the Smart Procurement Initiative and the creation of a Chief of Defence Logistics will have implications for how functions are carried out and organised in the Principal Administrative Officers' area (the logistics support area). But these changes will take time to work through, in a series of implementation studies.
- Land Command: we envisage a major reorganisation of the Army's divisional/district structure in the United Kingdom, which would increase civilian employment in some areas but result in an overall decrease. Proposals have yet to be finalised but they will be subject to the consultation with Trades Unions.
- Territorial Army: the TA will reduce to a strength of about 40,000. A manning and career division, creating new posts, will be established in Glasgow to centralise all personnel management for the TA. There will, however, be some post reductions due to the closure of a number of TA centres, on which decisions have yet to be made. There will also be reductions in TAVRA staff (who are Crown Servants) due to the rationalisation of TAVRA regional offices.
- Naval Support Command: we estimate that up to 100 posts will be lost due to the closure of storage depots in Rosyth and Colerne in 1999/2000. Further work is in hand to evaluate the impact on staff as a result of the continuing rationalisation of support functions at the Naval Bases;
- RAF Strike Command: reductions in the front line force level of Harrier GR7, Jaguar, Tornado GR and F3 aircraft may lead to the loss of up to 18 support posts at the RAF stations affected. These stations have not yet been identified;
- Duchess of Kent's Hospital, Catterick: partial closure will take place in 1999 and up to 40 posts will be lost;
- Changes in the MOD Head Office structure: the VCDS and 2nd PUS Top Level Budget (TLB) areas will be merged into a central TLB. A new Joint Defence Centre will be created at a location yet to be decided. Most of the civilian staff affected by these changes will be in London and any reductions are expected to be absorbed by natural wastage and reallocation. The Smart Procurement Initiative (see above) will also have implications for the Head Office equipment procurement function. The creation of the new Chief of Defence Logistics may also have implications for Head Office logistics staff in due course.
- Post reductions will be managed as far as possible through reallocation and relocation of staff, natural wastage and seeking volunteers for early retirement. The possibility of compulsory redundancies cannot be ruled out, but these will be kept to the minimum.
- Where staff need to be reassigned and relocated, those posted to a different part of the country will qualify for the existing comprehensive relocation package, which has recently been bench marked as fully competitive with private sector comparators.
- Where we cannot avoid staff being made redundant, they will be fully compensated under the terms of the appropriate regulations. The MOD Outplacement Scheme, which has helped place between 70% and 100% (depending on location) of staff using it over the past six years, will be available to help redundant staff identify new employment opportunities.
The Future
- The MOD will continue to be the largest Government Department in terms of civilian staff and will continue to offer good career prospects for its staff in a broad range of jobs. Many civilian staff will be involved with the implementation of SDR findings and all will play a full part in the delivery of modern defence forces in the post-SDR MOD.
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