LONDON -- A British government review, to be published shortly, has apparently suggested that some 80,000 civil service jobs could be cut and up to £14.5 billion ($28 billion) could be saved by 2007 if recommendations such as "streamlining" back-office functions and raising productivity in education, health and law enforcement were followed.
Major savings could also be achieved, the report finds, by changing the way in which the government procures its supplies and by centralizing functions such as human resources. The report calls for establishing a "one-stop" retail network to handle transactions between government offices and British citizens. This should cover everything from taxation to social security benefits.
Are the proposals realistic and could the estimated savings be found? Some skepticism is unavoidable. Savings of this magnitude can only be made if regulations and the monitoring of public services are cut significantly. Huge vested interests are involved and will have to be challenged.