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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1984
THE CABINET OFFICE WOULD COMPRISE THE COUNCILS AND ADMINISTRATION BRANCH, THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH, THE SECURITY BRANCH AND PERHAPS THE BULK OF THE HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH.
THE TREASURY WOULD COMPRISE THREE DIVISIONS: THE FINANCE BRANCH TOGETHER WITH THE ACCOUNTING SERVICES DEPARTMENT WOULD FORM A PUBLIC FINANCE DIVISION, THE ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH AND THE TRADE AND INDUSTRY BRANCH WOULD FORM AN ECONOMIC POLICY DIVISION, AND THE MONETARY AFFAIRS BRANCH WOULD FORM A MONETARY POLICY DIVISION.
THE ECONOMIC DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS THE TRADE DEPARTMENT AND THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT WOULD BE GROUPED AROUND THE TREASURY.
OTHER POLICY SECRETARIES WOULD BE BLISTERED ON TO RELEVANT EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS (E.G. THE HOUSING BRANCH ON TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND THE TRANSPORT BRANCH ON TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT) OR WOULD BE ESTABLISHED AS INDEPENDENT OFFICES IN CLOSE ADMINISTRATIVE PROXIMITY TO THEIR MAIN DEPARTMENTS.
NOTING THAT SUCH A SYSTEM MIGHT WORK, SIR PHILIP SAID, +BUT - AND THIS IS A VERY LARGE BUT - IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY REAL EVIDENCE THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK WELL, OR RATHER THAT FAULTY PERFORMANCE IS DUE TO INHERENT DEFECTS IN THE SYSTEM ITSELF RATHER THAN THE OCCASIONAL SHORTCOMINGS OF THOSE WHO MAN IT. AND GIVEN THAT IT HAS LENT ITSELF FAIRLY EASILY TO ADAPTATION, MODERNISATION AND FINE TUNING TO MEET CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES, AND AS THERE IS NO VIRTUE IN CHANGE FOR
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THE SAKE OF CHANGE I SEE NO REASON FOR A MAJOR ORGANISATIONAL UPHEAVAL, PARTICULARLY AT A TIME WHEN STABILITY AND CONTINUITY IN THE CIVIL SERVICE ARE PARAMOUNT CONSIDERATIONS.
+AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, ORGANISATIONAL (AND PROCEDURAL) REFORMS ARE BEST DEVISED AND INTRODUCED PROGRESSIVELY AND THE RECORD SHOWS THAT WE DO ADAPT TO MEET CHANGING REQUIREMENTS= AND, IN ANTICIPATION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SECOND 'REGIONAL' COUNCIL, I SHALL BE ANNOUNCING SHORTLY ANOTHER ADJUSTMENT TO THE ORGANISATION OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT AND A RECASTING OF RELATIVE DEPARTMENTS.+
ON WHAT SIR PHILIP CONSIDERED AS THE HON LYDIA DUNN'S +MAIN, AND ONLY, SUBSTANTIVE+ ARGUMENT AGAINST THE CENTRAL SECRETARIAT SYSTEM THAT IT HAD GROWN LARGER -- HE SAID THAT THIS DID NOT MEAN, AS SHE HAD IMPLIED, THAT THE SYSTEM HAD NOT MADE GOOD, OR BETTER, USE OF SCARCE MANPOWER.
+MISS DUNN HERSELF, PERHAPS INADVERTENTLY, REFERRED TO 'THE CONSEQUENTIAL GROWTH OF THE SECRETARIAT AND THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT HAS OCCURRED.
+SINCE THE PRESENT-DAY GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1974, THERE HAS BEEN VERY CONSIDERAELE EXPANSION IN GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES AND AMBITIOUS POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES HAVE BEEN
INTRODUCED.
/+AS A