Oral Answers to Questions

Louise Haigh Excerpts

Wednesday 8th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Chris Skidmore]

The hon. Gentleman is a fine historian who, like me, believes in looking at the facts and in evidence-based policy making. That is why we have constructed the pilots to ensure that there is photographic identification and non-photographic identification. If there happens to be anyone who has no form of identification, we will make provision for them. Rolling out the electoral ID card across the country would be tremendously expensive and we have no plans to do so.

[Louise Haigh (Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab)]

7. What change there has been in the civil service headcount in the last 12 months.

[The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General (Ben Gummer)]

Workforce planning is primarily the responsibility of each individual Department, but the civil service headcount reduced by 3,390, or 0.8%, over the past year.

[Louise Haigh]

I thank the Minister for that answer. Will he commit to publishing an assessment of all resources moved over to Brexit priorities and what work streams have been cut as a result?

[Ben Gummer]

The hon. Lady will understand that we have worked hard since July to ensure that we have the proper resources in place so that our exit from the European Union is effective and efficient. The public versions of the single departmental plans will have the outlines that she is seeking.