The Home Office, which is at the forefront of the migration crisis, faced public outrage as less than half of its headquarters staff were present at their desks last week. In comparison, other government departments had a significantly higher attendance rate, with 89% of the Cabinet Office and 86% of the Ministry of Defence staff in the office.
The Home Office’s empty desks have raised concerns about its ability to effectively respond to the ongoing migration challenges. With migration being a top priority, James Cleverly’s office, responsible for addressing the issue, was particularly criticized for its low attendance rate.
To tackle the working-from-home epidemic in Whitehall, officials were earlier instructed to spend at least 60% of their time in the office. However, the recent data suggests that this guideline has not been adequately followed by Home Office staff.
The need for civil servants to return to the office has been emphasized by John O’Connell, the head of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, who highlights the decline in performance as departments remain empty. Similarly, Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Tory MP, suggests that the Home Office’s inability to effectively address the illegal migration issue could be improved if staff were present in the office rather than working from home.
The Home Office spokesperson acknowledged that the attendance data was concerning but emphasized that it only represented the staff at their Marsham Street headquarters, where less than 10% of Home Office employees are based.
Returning to the office not only promotes collaboration, innovation, and community engagement, as stated in the edict sent out by mandarins in November, but it also ensures a more efficient response to the pressing challenges faced by the Home Office.
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