Civil Servants: Reduction of Numbers

Lord Bishop of Leeds Excerpts

Thursday 24th March 2022 Lords Chamber

[Lord True (Con)]

My Lords, I cannot claim to be an expert on the linguistic training policies of the foreign service. I would say that we wish to have a Civil Service that is adaptable, nimble and responds to challenge, and that should involve a better awareness of future as well as present challenges, and that is certainly one of the things that the efficiency programme will look at.

[The Lord Bishop of Leeds]

My Lords, have the Government made any assessment of the relationship between efficiency, effectiveness and efficacy?

[Lord True (Con)]

I would say to the right reverend Prelate that there are two sides to this coin. One is an efficient service that is more capable of delivering quality public service—we all believe profoundly in the ideal of public service—in a satisfying, effective way. The answer is yes, but I would say that that is not only measured in numbers.