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THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1982
EARLIER, MR ROWLANDS ALSO SPOKE ON PAY AND FRINGE BENEFITS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE, STAFF EFFICIENCY, PLANNING AND TRAINING AND THE POLICY ON LOCAL ISATION.
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD ACCEPTED THE CONCEPT OF THE TOTAL PAY PACKAGE AND WAS NOW WORKING OUT HOW TO APPLY IT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE STANDING COMMISSION ON CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE.
MR ROWLANDS SAID THE ISSUES WERE COMPLEX BUT HE WAS OPTIMISTIC THAT WITH HELP FROM THE STAFF SIDE AND WITH FURTHER ADVICE FROM THE STANDING COMMISSION, IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO REPORT BACK TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL BEFORE THE SUMMER RECESS.
ON STAFF TRAINING, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOW SPENDING SOME $400 MILLION EACH YEAR ON CIVIL SERVICE TRAINING, INCLUDING LARGE SUMS DEVOTED TO OVERCOMING SHORTAGES OF PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL SKILLS.
HOWEVER, MR ROWLANDS SAID IT SHOULD BE RECOGNISED THAT IN MANY CASES THE LEAD TIME WAS EXTREMELY LONG, AND IT WOULD BE MANY YEARS BEFORE EVEN ALL BASIC REQUIREMENTS WERE MET FROM LOCAL HOME-GROWN SOURCES.
HE SAID IT REMAINED THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TO RECRUIT OVERSEAS ONLY WHEN SUITABLE LOCAL CANDIDATES WERE NOT AVAILABLE IN SUFFICIENT NUMBERS, EXCEPT IN THE CASES OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS AND POLICE INSPECTORS WHERE IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TO CONTINUE RECRUITING A PROPORTION OF OFFICERS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM.
TICD TO BE DE-FEDERALISED ******
THE TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT IS TO BE RESTRUCTURED INTO THREE SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENTS, SUBJECT TO FINANCE COMMITTEE APPROVAL, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, ANNOUNCED IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE TODAY.
THE THREE NEW DEPARTMENTS WOULD BE THE TRADE DEPARTMENT, THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT AND THE CUSTOMS AND CONTROLS DEPARTMENT THE HEADS OF WHICH WILL BECOME CONTROLLING OFFICERS WITH THEIR OWN SEPARATE VOTES IN THE ESTIMATES.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE EXISTING POST OF DIRECTOR OF TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS WILL BE ABOLISHED AND A NEW POST OF SECRETARY WILL BE CREATED TO HEAD UP A NEW BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT TO WHICH WILL BE TRANSFERRED POLICY RESPONSIBILITY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND SEVERAL OTHER SUBJECTS FROM THE ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH.
/SIR PHILIP