UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The UK Cabinet Office plans to cut over 100 civil service jobs in security vetting and Cobra teams, raising concerns over national security and emergency risks.
As reported by The Standard, the British government plans to cut over 100 roles from UK Security Vetting amid broad Civil Service staff reductions.
The Cabinet Office aims to reduce UK Security Vetting employees from just under 900 to 780 full-time roles.
What did the Cabinet Office job reductions mean for national security?
The government plans to cut more jobs in the Cobra committee. This includes staff who work with chemical, biological, and radiological threats. The decision is not final yet, and things are still unclear.
The government intends to cut 2,100 civil service jobs as part of plans to reduce spending by 15%. The majority of vision still will come through voluntary exit or natural attrition, while some civil servants will be assigned to other positions.
What did the source say about proposed job cuts at UK Security Vetting?
A source familiar with the proposals said the Cabinet Office considered cutting around 110 jobs at Security Vetting. The organisation conducts vetting for sensitive roles in the Ministry of Defence, Foreign Office, and parliamentary security checks.
According to a source, the Cabinet Office believes back-office vetting teams are now redundant after its recovery, allowing staff reductions.
The source said nearly 30 positions are proposed to be cut from Cobra teams following a merger of Cabinet Office units handling crisis response and resilience.
The proposal includes cutting three of the 10 staff working on chemical, biological, and radiological threats. However, the team will remain operational.
UKSV’s response to criticism over security vetting delays
The National Audit Office criticised UKSV in 2023 for delays in conducting checks, warning these could jeopardise national security efforts.
Last year, UKSV’s CEO said the agency had turned around its performance, aided by increased staff numbers.
What did Fran Heathcote say about cabinet office job cuts?
Fran Heathcote, general secretary of the PCS union, stated,
“We warned from the outset that plans for job cuts at the Cabinet Office failed to distinguish between back-office and frontline roles.”
He said,
“It is now evident that these cuts will undermine the delivery of essential public services and compromise key government functions, including those critical to national security and emergency preparedness.”
Mr Heathcote added,
“PCS will continue to stand firmly with our members in opposing these damaging cuts. We will defend their job security and the vital work they do to keep the country running safely and effectively.”
What did Alex Burghart say about Labour’s cuts to national security?
Alex Burghart, the Conservative shadow chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, said,
“While Labour let the welfare state balloon to £100 billion per year, handing out billion-pound bungs to their union paymasters whilst funnelling money into diversity jobs, it beggars belief they are cutting back on our national security and emergency infrastructure. As always for Labour, it’s party first, country second.”
What did the UK Government say about national security staff cuts?
A UK Government spokesperson stated,
“We don’t routinely comment on national security staffing.
They added,
“More broadly, we are making the department more strategic, specialist and smaller, helping existing teams better serve the public and deliver the plan for change.”
Key duties of UK Security Vetting
UKSV checks people’s backgrounds to make sure they can get security clearance. They decide if someone is fit to access secret information and handle different levels of security checks like BPSS, SC, and DV clearances.
The agency assists in reducing security risks by finding weak spots. They keep vetting rules up to date with government policies and regularly review and renew clearances.
UK government’s plan for change
The British government’s plan for change aims to boost real household income. The plan includes building 1.5 million homes. It also aims to fast-track 150 major infrastructure projects. The NHS will treat 92% of elective care patients within 18 weeks.
The Labour government’s plans include recruiting 13,000 new police and neighbourhood officers in England and Wales. The plan also focuses on making sure 75% of five-year-olds in England are ready for school.