People matter. The Ministry of Defence’s 80,000 civil service staff support the armed forces in all sorts of ways. They make a real difference to the country’s defence effort.
Their experience of the Ministry of Defence as an employer, and the way they work, will depend greatly on us in the new PPPA. When staff join, plan their performance, move jobs, develop their skills, receive their pay, adjust their working patterns, or leave, it is our services they will use. When personal issues of health, welfare or conduct arise, it is our advisers who will guide them.
So we are not just a place where transactions are done. We are here to help the Department put people first.
By creating an Agency pulling all people services together, from joining to leaving, we will help the People Programme in its broader goal of transforming how we work.
It is a huge challenge. There are many other providers of personnel services, and we will face strong competition. The wider Government agenda for shared services
means that only the best and most efficient providers, public or private sector, will survive. We have no automatic right to be the provider of these services to the Ministry of Defence or any other customer.
But if we do stand comparison with the best, then that means a great opportunity. Across Government, shared services will tend to converge around the best providers. So our goal is simple: to be one of those best providers.
All our services go live by April 2007 and we achieve our full operating capability by April 2008. The strength of the foundations we build in the first years will be crucial. We have a professional and committed team, proud of
the services they provide, and I am confident that we will create the service our customers deserve.
David Ball
Chief Executive