The UK departments, which reinforce trade discounts in employees, face up to 40 %

Digest opened free editor

Opinioners warned of Whitehall that government departments charged with attracting internal investments to the United Kingdom and promoting British exports are facing significant discounts in jobs as part of the upcoming spending review.

The proposed dates discounts come despite repeated pledges by the advisor and the Prime Minister to attract more investors to the United Kingdom and enhance economic growth.

One of the persons with discussions said that employees of the Ministry of Business and Trade have been warned of the number of employees from “30 to 40 percent”, according to proposals to integrate two units involved in promoting the United Kingdom as an investment destination.

Another person said that there are plans for a “brutal haircut” to export promotion teams in the “non -zero -based spending”, as departments must start with an empty paper and justify employment levels.

The Ministry of Business and Trade said it “did not recognize” discounts of discounts from 30 to 40 percent, adding that no final decisions have been taken on the main dates.

However, the officials accepted that the review, which was disposed of in the spring, was imposing difficult decisions on all sections of Whitehall.

A third person who is familiar with this process said that the trade unions raised concerns about the restructuring. The Union of Public and Commercial Services, which represents more than 190,000 civilian employees, rejected the comment.

The officials said that the discounts in the internal investment staff were taking place along with the merger between the 25-person Investment Office-the Joint Treasury Department, the 10th, and the Ministry of Business Authority that was established in 2020-and the Directorate of the greatest internal investment in DBT.

Bobby Gustapters, a center, with Rachel Reeves and Dienin Jones © Kirsty O’connor/ HM Treasury

Sir Kerr Starmer promised last October to “strengthen” and “renew” Date From Baroness Poppy Gustafsson, co -founder and CEO of Cyber ​​Security Darktrace, as Minister of Investment.

One of the persons familiar with the restructuring said that the ministers intend to convert Offi, who was previously working like a small team of “stabilizers” over the term, to the main agency to enhance investment.

The proposals follow the recommendations of Lord Richard Harrington in 2023 review One of the investment scene in the United Kingdom, in which he said that OFI needs to “be given stronger support from the central government” as part of a new commercial investment strategy.

Its augmented role will also include strengthening links with regional municipal heads, using joint authorities to help set local investment proposals to attract investors.

Tom Bob, chief economist at the Government Institute of Government, said that there was a strong economic logic behind the greater use of the joint authorities of the mayor to attract foreign direct investment.

But he added that there was currently a “capacity gap” in the employees and experience in MCAS to provide ambition.

Lord Richard Harrington
In 2023, Lord Richard Harrington recommended that the investment office be given “stronger support from the central government” © Charlie Bibby/FT/Financial Times

However, two of the well -known people said that despite its augmented role, the merging of the Offi with the Investment Directorate in the Ministry of Business continues to lead to a net decrease in the number of appointments.

“This means that this means a decrease in capacity in general, and there is no expansion in the number of employees or services,” said the director of the UK Regional Trade Promotion Authority.

The changes facing the Investment Directorate for employees in the “All Hands” call were announced earlier this month, with a request “to 40 percent of a haircut” in the total recruitment numbers, according to one account of internal discussions.

Jordan Camens, head of the competitiveness of the United Kingdom at the Central Bank of Iraq, said that the challenge is to strengthen both with discounts in the number of employees within the department, which was expected as part of the spending review.

“Deckchair Mixing as part of the spending review is the first step only. The second step makes this new body more responsive to investors, beneficial to municipal heads and transparency for companies. He added.

Trade in the United Kingdom has been weak since Britain left the European Union compared to other G7 countries, with the UK trade as a share of GDP now by 3.5 percent the lowest national statistics.

British Chambers of Commerce said that she is looking to deepen the partnership with the Ministry of Business in order to improve the promotions of export and offers, with reference to studies Showing government support for trade has caused companies more likely to export and survive.

William Payne, head of commercial policy at BCC, said the group will be concerned about the discounts in export promotion activities. He added: “This is the moment, if you want to increase growth and consider the opposite of modern trade losses, to invest in a targeted investment in enhancing export.”

The Ministry of Business said that strengthening trade and investment had a vital role that he plays in providing the task of the government’s economic growth and that the administration will continue to support British business for export and attract investment.

He added: “We are creating a new investment promotion agency, which will be more streamlined and well -skilled, to provide better service for our main investors and secure the investment that our economy needs to pay jobs and growth.”

Leave a Comment