Category: Five
Live
Date: 02.12.2004
Printable version
In an exclusive interview with Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Five Live's Chief Political
Correspondent John Pienaar, Jonathan Baume
- the leader of the First Division Association which represents senior
civil servants - said that the conflicting policy agendas of the Prime
Minister and the Chancellor are damaging the workings of Government.
Mr Baume said: "Well it's a problem because both Number 10 and
the Treasury have had at times what are conflicting and competing agendas
for Government.
"Government departments get their spending money from the Treasury
on the basis of public service agreements which they sign up to.
"But at the same time the Prime Minister's Office also has an
agenda and that's not necessarily the same as the Treasury's.
"Of course the PM is a very powerful figure in any government
and also sends instructions and messages and directions to departments
about how he would like to see each Secretary of State and each government
department implement a policy agenda.
"The problem at the moment is that on many occasions these two
don't always add up. And of course individual Cabinet Ministers, as
well as departments themselves, have to make sense of this battle which
of course is essentially a political argument going on behind the scenes
which the government machine, the civil service, is really no formal
part of.
"If you look at the future of hospitals, if you look at the future
of schools, it's quite clear that the Chancellor's vision of what he
wants to see in schools and hospitals is not by any means what say Alan
Milburn or the Prime Minister might want to see over the next four years.
"It's not good government and it has become more of an issue over
the recent period and it will need to be resolved after the General
Election."
