XN000022-1978-04-13 — Page 6

5.

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1978

INCREASE IN SIZE OF PUBLIC SERVICE

-JUSTIFIABLE AND ESSENTIAL *****

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON. SIR DENYS ROBERTS, TODAY ASSURED UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN THE SIZE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE WILL BE BOTH +JUSTIFIABLE+ AND +ESSENTIAL+ DURING THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

REPLYING TO POINTS RAISED BY THE UNOFFICIALS AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE, THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THE INCREASES WERE NECESSARY +IF WE ARE NOT TO LOSE THE MOMENTUM OF OUR VARIOUS PROGRAMMES+.

SIR DENYS SAID: +OUR HOUSING, EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL WELFARE PLANS, AND OUR PROGRAMMES OF CONSTRUCTION OF OTHER FACILITIES, WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND DURING THE NEXT FEW YEARS. IT WOULD SURELY BE UNFORTUNATE IF THESE PLANS AND PROGRAMMES WERE DELAYED BECAUSE OF A LACK OF ADEQUATE STAFF IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE.+

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SIZE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE WAS FROZEN DURING THE PERIOD OF RECESSION AND SAID THIS MEANT THAT, WHEN THE ECONOMY RECOVERED UNEXPECTEDLY SWIFTLY, WE WERE NOT IN A POSITION TO MAKE USE OF THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE AS QUICKLY AS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED.+

+ IT ALSO OBLIGED US TO COMPRESS INTO TWO OR THREE YEARS THE NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL POSTS WHICH, HAD WE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN A STEADY PROGRESSION, WOULD HAVE BEEN SPREAD OUT OVER FOUR OR FIVE,+ HE ADDED.

ON THE SUGGESTION FOR MONITORING PUBLIC SERVICE SIR DENYS SAID THAT SO FAR AS THE CREATION OF POSTS WAS CONCERNED, THE .RECORD OF THE FINANCE BRANCH, AS A GUARDIAN OF THE PUBLIC PURSÉ, WAS AN EXCELLENT ONE.

SIR DENYS NOTED THAT WHEN AN APPLICATION FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF GOES TO THE FINANCE BRANCH, IT MUST STILL SATISFY MEMBERS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT SUB-COMMITTEE AND THEN FINANCE COMMITTEE ITSELF.

+CONSEQUENTLY, MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL HAVE THE FINAL SAY IN THE APPROVAL OF ANY NEW POST IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE,+ HE SAID.

+

+THEREFORE I BELIEVE THAT ADEQUATE SAFEGUARDS EXIST FOR ENSURING THAT UNNECESSARY POSTS ARE NOT CREATED IN THE PUEL IC SERVICE, + HE ADDED.

SIR DENYS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT EXAMINATIONS OF THE DEPLOYMENT OF STAFF IN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WERE CARRIED OUT FROM TIME TO TIME BY THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH AND BY THE MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIVISION (WHICH INCLUDES THE ORGANISATION AND METHODS UNIT), WHOSE JOB WAS COMPLEMENTED BY THE FINANCE BRANCH.

/+THIS INCLUDES