Treasury
22nd June 2012
Dr Hywel Francis MP: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of his policies on the number of public sector jobs in Wales in the next five years.
David Gauke: The Government faces the largest budget deficit in history and has had to take tough decisions to reduce the deficit. Delivering high quality public services remain hugely important to the Government. The Government has taken measures such as pay restraint to reduce the number of public sector job losses. Deficit reduction will inevitably impact on the public sector workforce, including in Wales.
The Treasury does not centrally manage changes to public sector workforces, and the OBR have not produced a forecast for public sector job losses by region.
However, the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts that the total employment will increase by 1 million between 2011 and 2017. And the overall employment rate in Wales has risen over the past two years. Employment in Wales is 26,000 higher today than two years ago.
