Home / Series / Man Alive / Aired Order / Season 1978 / Episode 15

Civil They May Be. But are They Servants?

In this investigative film Jack Pizzey asks whether, as taxpayers, we are getting value for money from our civil servants. One town council builds much sought-after council houses quicker than usual and saves £500,000 on the approved official plans - yet the Department of Environment blocks other councils making similar economies. In another town, computer schemes from the Department of Health and Social Security result in waste costing over £30,000. Nobody knows how much goes down the drain each year. A senior civil servant singlehandedly saves £3 million a year. Three Government Ministers want his savings applied nationwide, yet other civil servants frustrate them. A cover-up begins. Little has changed in ten years according to two Parliamentary Committees. Indeed, a former Civil Service head admits to being highly-selective about which reforms should be carried out. And, of course, the Official Secrets Act is always there to prevent embarrassing information leaking out to the pub

English
  • Originally Aired May 9, 1978
  • Created June 6, 2022 by
    AddingStuffIsFun
  • Modified November 2, 2024 by
    mosipd