Core Govt Administration Staff Cap Set At 36,475
Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman
Minister of State
Services
15 March 2012
The
Government has reset the cap on core government
administration staff at 36,475 full-time equivalent (FTE)
positions, State Services Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman
says.
"The public service increased enormously in size under the previous Labour government. From 2002 to 2008 the number of people employed in government departments increased by around 12,000 FTE positions, which was an overall increase of 38 per cent," Dr Coleman says.
"When National came into government in 2008, we immediately capped the overall size of core government administration at just under 39,000 FTE positions.
"That cap was successful in turning around what had been very strong growth in public service numbers, year after year. Since then, the number of FTE positions has fallen by around 2400, and we’re committing to keep it below that new level," Dr Coleman says.
"Before the election last year, we campaigned on reducing the cap and we’re now delivering on that promise.
"We’re confident staffing numbers will stay under the new cap, given the tight budgets we’ve got in the public sector," he says.
The cap counts most people working in government departments and in some Crown entities, however it does not include frontline staff like teachers, police officers, hospital staff, or prison officers.
For the latest capping data visit: http://www.ssc.govt.nz/capping-dec11
For previous capping data visit: http://www.ssc.govt.nz/capping
Question and Answers
What is
the reset cap on core government administration?
The
cap has been reset at 36,475 full-time equivalent (FTE)
positions for core government administration. This is about
the number of FTE positions currently in the core public
service.
What is core government
administration?
All public service departments
(excluding the Community Probation and Psychological Service
and Prison Service sections of the Department of
Corrections, and the Child, Youth and Family, and Work and
Income sections of the Ministry of Social Development) and
five selected Crown entities: Housing New Zealand
Corporation, New Zealand Qualifications Authority, New
Zealand Transport Agency, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise,
and the Tertiary Education Commission.
What is
the total reduction in FTE positions?
Since the cap
was set in December 2008, the total number of FTE positions
within core government administration decreased by 2403,
reducing from 38,859 to 36,456 in December 2011.
How is this different from the last six
months?
Core government administration had 19 fewer
FTEs at 31 December 2011 than at 30 June that year. This
decrease was achieved despite the merger of 357 positions
from the Legal Services Agency, which was outside the core
government cap, into the Ministry of Justice and 192
temporary staff employed by the Department of Conservation
over the summer.
How is the capping data
collected?
For 30 June figures, departmental staff
numbers are collected through the SSC Human Resource
Capability (HRC) survey. This is an annual collection of
anonymous unit record HR data from both Public Service and
non-Public Service departments. The HRC team produce a
series of reports based on this information, and report the
findings in the HRC Public Report.
For the 31 December total, a staffing survey is carried out to update the figures.
What does the Government hope to
achieve with this policy?
Achieving the aims of this
policy goes beyond a focus on staff numbers. It involves
smarter ways of working to achieve better service delivery
and ensuring that all expenditure is carefully and
appropriately managed within reducing departmental
baselines.
How does this policy fit with the
Government’s priority to grow the economy?
This
policy ensures a rebalancing of people and money to areas
that improve services to New Zealanders and increase the
efficiency of the public service.
How is the
cap applied?
The cap is applied globally, to the
whole of core government administration, not to the
individual agencies.
How is the cap
monitored?
The SSC collects information on staff
levels for departments and selected Crown entities every six
months, which is reported to Cabinet and used for monitoring
purposes.
Who is responsible for ensuring
departments keep staff numbers within the cap?
Public
Service chief executives and Crown entity Board chairs are
to advise the State Services Commissioner (and responsible
Ministers in the case of Crown entities) if they propose to
increase staff numbers beyond their baseline establishment
figures.
ENDS