SIGNIFICANT cuts to government budgets and staff revealed in the spending watchdog’s latest report were labelled “arbitrary and ideological” by public-service union PCS yesterday.

The union said that the National Audit Office analysis of central government staff costs since 2010 showed auditors remain unconvinced that public services will not be affected by further cuts.

The report also says the Treasury and Cabinet Office “lack a clear view” of how Civil Service departments are planning for the future and are doing little to help them.

It further suggests that the 2010 spending review process was flawed, despite deep cuts in spending that cost the jobs of almost 90,000 civil servants.

In response, PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “It has always been obvious that the government’s budget cuts were ‘arbitrary and ideological’ and public services have suffered as a result.

“Ministers must not continue to ignore the need to properly consider the impact of cuts and must negotiate with us about the resources required to provide quality public services.”