Government risks damaging reputation of the Civil Service Fast Stream, says FDA

Following confirmation from the government that line management support for civil servants on the Fast Stream development scheme would be cut in the Cabinet Office, FDA Assistant General Secretary Lauren Crowley said:
 
“In the week it was reported there had been a sharp fall in applications to the Fast Stream, we now learn that the Cabinet Office is cutting line-management support for Fast Streamers, as a result of headcount reduction.
 
“It has been announced that from September full line-management responsibility will lie with departmental managers for all Fast Streamers, despite those on the central scheme being employed by the Cabinet Office. This is a major structural change and will leave many Fast Streamers concerned about how they will be supported throughout the scheme.
 
“From the ill-advised suspension of the scheme in 2022, which caused an inevitable fall in applications, to the Cabinet Office now slimming down its central support for Fast Streamers, the government needs to think long and hard about the message this sends.
 
“I fear this announcement will only damage the reputation of the Fast Stream to potential applicants and raise questions over whether the government is truly committed to a high-quality development scheme.”