The major overhaul of the government setup hasn't been approved yet by the Prime Minister Theresa May, according to a report in the Sun newspaper. However, a Cabinet minister, quoted by the publication, said "we would need a new occupant in No10 to do this."
"We need to be really bold to solve the nation's long-term productivity problem, which means turbo charging everything we're doing on connectivity. Money also needs to be found to pay for an uplift in defence and the police, and that can only come from other departments," a senior minister was reported to suggest.
The idea — said to be advocated by UK Treasury Chief Secretary Liz Truss — has not received the warmest welcome among everyone.
I can see why BEIS and DfT would merge into infrastructure and the Digital of DCMS, but culture, media and sport don't really fit, do they? https://t.co/voyXpaxNCw
— Sarah Merrick (@SpeakSarahSpeak) January 2, 2019
Post-war British political history, of course, is littered with the countless successes of super-ministries. https://t.co/DLE7gqfevq
— Andrew Neil (@afneil) January 2, 2019
I don't know why they're stopping there and not including Defra, HMT and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra https://t.co/ePEDA8ASw3
— Alan White (@aljwhite) January 2, 2019
Super Ministry. Shoots red tape from its wrists.
— John McDonnell (@mcdonnelljp) January 2, 2019
DICSMBEST https://t.co/Bak1PKn0it
— Tom Phillips (@flashboy) January 2, 2019
The so-called Department of Infrastructure is meant to reduce costs and save millions for other projects. Ministers seek to implement the idea in autumn, when the ministries' budgets are set for the next four years.
Theresa May — who finds any significant Whitehall reorganisation gimmicky and disruptive — opposed the idea of a 'Super Ministry.' However, given the uncertainty around the Brexit withdrawal agreement championed by the PM and her leadership, whether Theresa May will still be at Downing Street to reject the idea next autumn, is unclear.
