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Rishi sacks Suella as Home Secretary.

(354 Posts)
Urmstongran Mon 13-Nov-23 08:47:23

A wise move? Or will he come to regret it?

ronib Fri 17-Nov-23 21:56:01

Growstuff it’s all too common for IT contractors to bang their heads on Civil Service contracts! Fact!
I am amazed that you can’t understand that there’s a problem with the way the Home Office goes about its business.
A bit pointless even discussing it on this thread.

growstuff Fri 17-Nov-23 21:39:16

ronib

Growstuff getting civil servants to turn up to the office is a start.
The Home Office is not supporting the government in its aims. 2.7 cases solved per week by each caseworker is laughable.
No it’s not about changing the sign on the door but getting a grip on the problem. Doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon? The Home Office needs to be relieved of this function. It can’t go on like this. A different set of people might bring a more proactive approach?

Outsourcing but not to Rwanda seems a good idea.

This is laughable!

I'd love to know who the "different set of people" could be. Maybe those about to be sanctioned by the DWP because they haven't been able to find a job in 18 months?

growstuff Fri 17-Nov-23 21:35:26

MerylStreep

I have 2 daughters who are working with the Home Office at the present time.
One is the team leader on building the new computer program to speed up the application system.
The other one is doing a visa renewal application.
All I can say is: it’s a miracle that anything is achieved at the Home Office.

Indeed! My daughter is a senior civil service HR manager. I don't think she'd be interested in uninformed posts on GN. Unfortunately, it's all too common for IT contractors to not understand the needs of their clients.

My daughter doesn't talk about her work much because it's classified and she's the ultimate professional. What I do know is that her work is affected and hands are tied by constantly changing directives from government ministers, who regard civil servants as rather stupid lackies rather than the people with the real experience and expertise to know what is feasible and legal.

ronib Fri 17-Nov-23 21:29:20

Growstuff Human Resources?

growstuff Fri 17-Nov-23 21:26:08

Iam64

Casdon

Is there a government department that is performing well then ronib?
Outsourcing is not the answer. The answer is a vastly improved government, and as far as the Home Office is concerned, a strong and consistent leader.

Local authorities were left with no option but to outsource all kinds of tasks. It didn’t work

Processing of asylum applications has not been outsourced.

growstuff Fri 17-Nov-23 21:25:03

ronib

Growstuff getting civil servants to turn up to the office is a start.
The Home Office is not supporting the government in its aims. 2.7 cases solved per week by each caseworker is laughable.
No it’s not about changing the sign on the door but getting a grip on the problem. Doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon? The Home Office needs to be relieved of this function. It can’t go on like this. A different set of people might bring a more proactive approach?

Outsourcing but not to Rwanda seems a good idea.

The civil service HR department has very recently been rebadged "Government People Group". Would you like the contact details of some of the senior people?

Meanwhile, if the high staff turnover, relative inexperience of those involved, constantly changing ministerial directive goalposts and reduced recruitment aren't the fault of the "government", I'd be interested to know who's responsible.

Meanwhile, try reading the section entitled "The decline in caseworker decision-making has no definitive explanation, but plausible reasons include administrative issues and policy changes".

migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/the-uks-asylum-backlog/

Casdon Fri 17-Nov-23 20:25:27

Glorianny

ronib

Casdon Germany also has a huge backlog of migration cases so we’re not the only country to struggle. Perhaps the political leadership is to blame?

This is how long immigration processing takes in Germany
www.infomigrants.net/en/post/52723/germany-asylum-procedure-slightly-faster#:~:text=According%20to%20EU%20regulations%2C%20asylum,in%202021%20%E2%80%93%20around%20198%20days.

Yes, they are streets ahead of us. I wish we were a Schengen country. So many missed opportunities to get it right.
www.frogmen.com/insights/european-union-digital-schengen-visa-application-process-approved-for-development-eu-lisa-to-start-creating-system.html

ronib Fri 17-Nov-23 20:16:17

I have been reading reviews of what it’s like to work in the Home Office and I am surprised that anyone would even think of applying. It is not the fault of the government but I suggest the Civil Service HR department needs to act quickly to improve working conditions.

Iam64 Fri 17-Nov-23 20:10:06

Casdon

Is there a government department that is performing well then ronib?
Outsourcing is not the answer. The answer is a vastly improved government, and as far as the Home Office is concerned, a strong and consistent leader.

Local authorities were left with no option but to outsource all kinds of tasks. It didn’t work

Glorianny Fri 17-Nov-23 19:54:20

ronib

Casdon Germany also has a huge backlog of migration cases so we’re not the only country to struggle. Perhaps the political leadership is to blame?

This is how long immigration processing takes in Germany
www.infomigrants.net/en/post/52723/germany-asylum-procedure-slightly-faster#:~:text=According%20to%20EU%20regulations%2C%20asylum,in%202021%20%E2%80%93%20around%20198%20days.

ronib Fri 17-Nov-23 17:20:03

Casdon Germany also has a huge backlog of migration cases so we’re not the only country to struggle. Perhaps the political leadership is to blame?

Casdon Fri 17-Nov-23 17:09:08

ronib

Casdon a vastly improved government - good luck with that one.
I reiterate that the role of the Civil Service is to support the government of the day.

It genuinely cannot be worse than the post 2019 Tory Government ronib, which is some consolation. I reiterate too - a government department is only as good as its political leadership allows it to be. If you haven’t recognised that the government has failed consistently on its management of the migration process I give up, and accept that once your head is buried in the sand that’s where it’s staying.

MerylStreep Fri 17-Nov-23 17:03:42

There are some wits about 😂

ronib Fri 17-Nov-23 17:02:01

Casdon a vastly improved government - good luck with that one.
I reiterate that the role of the Civil Service is to support the government of the day.

Casdon Fri 17-Nov-23 16:45:08

Is there a government department that is performing well then ronib?
Outsourcing is not the answer. The answer is a vastly improved government, and as far as the Home Office is concerned, a strong and consistent leader.

ronib Fri 17-Nov-23 16:34:53

Casdon haven’t other government departments also had similar problems? If something clearly isn’t delivering results, there’s no point sticking with more of the same.
Outsourcing? The Home Office, for whatever reason, has not provided a reasonable level of service.

Casdon Fri 17-Nov-23 16:29:06

ronib

Casdon doesn’t your argument apply to the number of Conservative prime ministers also?
So what - it has long been expected that the Civil Service is in place to support the government and not the other way round.

Any department which has six heads of department in 7 years, with constantly changing ways of doing things, rules, styles etc. would be in disarray, particularly when they ware asked to do things which are against the law, whilst being blamed and berated constantly ronib. Your desperation to blame anybody except the government for the mess is touching, but completely misplaced.

ronib Fri 17-Nov-23 16:20:18

Casdon doesn’t your argument apply to the number of Conservative prime ministers also?
So what - it has long been expected that the Civil Service is in place to support the government and not the other way round.

ronib Fri 17-Nov-23 16:17:33

MerylStreep yes I know exactly what you mean. The Home Office is not the only government department with inertia. I can’t imagine why this whole process has not been computerised before now?

Casdon Fri 17-Nov-23 16:13:22

Your perspective takes no account of the information ronib. What the Home Office needs is a competent government and a consistent, supportive minister who doesn’t vaccilate, blame or berate civil servants for their own failings, and who sets the rules clearly and then monitors performance on a consistent basis against those targets. It’s really very simple. Do you know there have been 7 Home Secretaries since 2010, of which 6 have been since 2016?

MerylStreep Fri 17-Nov-23 16:07:54

I have 2 daughters who are working with the Home Office at the present time.
One is the team leader on building the new computer program to speed up the application system.
The other one is doing a visa renewal application.
All I can say is: it’s a miracle that anything is achieved at the Home Office.

ronib Fri 17-Nov-23 15:59:32

Growstuff getting civil servants to turn up to the office is a start.
The Home Office is not supporting the government in its aims. 2.7 cases solved per week by each caseworker is laughable.
No it’s not about changing the sign on the door but getting a grip on the problem. Doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon? The Home Office needs to be relieved of this function. It can’t go on like this. A different set of people might bring a more proactive approach?

Outsourcing but not to Rwanda seems a good idea.

Iam64 Fri 17-Nov-23 15:56:36

growstuff- phone any govt office and be confronted with chaos - so little works well in this country you could go all conspiracy theory and wonder if there’s been a deliberate attempt to destroy public service and privatise everything

growstuff Fri 17-Nov-23 15:45:41

ronib

Casdon system in disarray? That’s a very polite way of describing it. Completely shambolic more like. Add into the mix Rwanda and you have to wonder what on earth is going on?

As you seem to have experience of the way the Home Office works, maybe you could briefly summarise how it could be less chaotic.

growstuff Fri 17-Nov-23 15:43:38

ronib

Iam64 Cameron might have reduced pen pushers but I think now the numbers are at an all time high.
Turbulent Times yesterday emphasised that the Home Office is not behind the government at all on immigration policy. I am not surprised in retrospect since migration is on an upwards trajectory.

Not in the National Crime Agency, they're not at an all time high.

Oh dear! Back to Turbulent Times eh?