Ministers must end ‘barking mad’ restraints on civil service pay, union leader warns

Prospect union leader Mike Clancy is urging the government to lift pay restraints on civil servants, warning that low wages hinder recruitment and retention of essential technical and digital specialists. Clancy argues that the government's inability to compete with the private sector on pay is undermining its goal of creating a more efficient and effective civil service. He suggests that senior specialists in high-demand fields should be paid more than the Prime Minister. The union also highlights that under-resourcing, rather than regulations themselves, is the primary cause of delays in government agencies like Natural England and the Environment Agency, leading to missed deadlines on planning applications. Clancy emphasizes that addressing pay is crucial for attracting and retaining the skilled workforce needed to deliver the government's objectives.

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