The Economy Drive
Encyclopedia
"The Economy Drive" is the third episode of the BBC
comedy series Yes Minister
and was first broadcast 10 March 1980. This episode, unlike many others, does not end with the phrase ' Yes Minister '.
listens with Bernard
as his political advisor, Frank Weisel, reads a damning press report detailing a series of government inefficiencies. When Sir Humphrey Appleby
arrives, Hacker immediately demands a slimming down of his department. Sir Humphrey argues that its staff is "small", numbering some 23,000. When Hacker suggests a time and motion study, his Permanent Secretary
admits that they had undergone such an exercise the previous year — resulting in the recruitment of 500 extra staff. Sir Humphrey suggests that closing Hacker's "bureaucratic watchdog" office would represent a start, but the Minister
won't entertain the idea, as it's the one thing he's been able to achieve so far. Hacker insists that Sir Humphrey provides a complete inventory of all the department's staff and buildings, and the civil servant leaves "fully seized" of his Minister's aims. However, Weisel informs Hacker that the north-west Regional Controller has achieved cuts of £32 million in his region — and that the civil service
has suppressed it, in case anyone else is forced to make similar savings. Hacker is astonished and instructs Weisel to "ferret around".
Later, Sir Humphrey speaks with Bernard and concedes that he knew about the cutbacks, but is annoyed that the information had got out. When Bernard questions the need for such staffing requirements, Sir Humphrey elucidates him: a large department is the only way that success can be measured within the civil service. Therefore, it is the duty of every Permanent Secretary to convince his Minister to fight for the department's budget. When Bernard argues that the Minister is an MP
who is democratically elected, Sir Humphrey points out that MPs have no training whatsoever, and it is up to the civil service to do the job for them. He also enquires about Weisel's investigative activities, and decides to furnish him with a government car in order to keep tabs on him.
Sir Humphrey meets with his colleague Sir Frederick Stewart, who advises that Hacker should be forced to make economies that affect him personally; Sir Humphrey sees the benefits of such a plan.
Hacker sits down with Sir Humphrey, Bernard and Frank Weisel to thrash out the exact nature of the proposed savings. However, Sir Humphrey knows of Weisel's previous whereabouts and is able — with such reasons as listed building status, classified information
and potential nuclear holocaust
— to rebut all the Minister's charges regarding government buildings. Concerning staffing levels, Sir Humphrey argues that it would not bode well for the government if it announced a series of redundancies in depressed marginal constituencies
. He then successfully convinces Hacker of the publicity benefits of setting an example to others.
At home that night, after missing his train because he walked to the station, Hacker informs his wife, Annie, of his personal economy drive. She can't quite believe that after 20 years of struggling for his position, he is no better off than he was as a back bencher.
Some days later, Hacker's office has been transformed: much of the furniture has now gone and Bernard is struggling to cope with just one assistant. His diary meeting with Hacker is interrupted by the cleaning lady, who no longer has a night shift. However, the Minister is impressed by his coverage in the tabloids. Hacker is then due to have a meeting about the cutbacks with a senior civil servant, who is unable to make the appointment and whose place is taken — unbeknownst to Hacker — by Ron Watson, a union
leader. He only reveals his identity after Hacker has delivered a vitriolic assessment of the unions and their members. Watson is furious and later goes to the press, which results in a transport strike.
That evening, the Hackers' car breaks down en route to a reception at the French embassy. Annie leaves in disgust and Hacker is forced to fulfill the engagement alone. He leaves the embassy inebriated
(or "tired and emotional
", as at least two of the papers later describe him), and is photographed by a journalist while searching for his car keys.
The next day, Sir Humphrey convinces Hacker to issue a press release announcing 800 job cuts: 400 from his "bureaucratic watchdog" office and an additional 400 who were needed to examine the scope for savings in the first place. In addition, Sir Humphrey gives Hacker a brand new proposal for slimming down the civil service: a proposal to reduce the number of tea ladies
.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
comedy series Yes Minister
Yes Minister
Yes Minister is a satirical British sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn that was first transmitted by BBC Television between 1980–1982 and 1984, split over three seven-episode series. The sequel, Yes, Prime Minister, ran from 1986 to 1988. In total there were 38 episodes—of which all but...
and was first broadcast 10 March 1980. This episode, unlike many others, does not end with the phrase ' Yes Minister '.
Plot
A despondent Jim HackerJames Hacker
James George Hacker, Baron Hacker of Islington, KG, PC, B. Sc. , Hon. D. C. L. was a fictional British politician. He was the Minister of the fictional Department of Administrative Affairs, and later the Prime Minister, in the 1980s British sitcom Yes Minister and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister...
listens with Bernard
Bernard Woolley
Sir Bernard Woolley GCB is one of the three main fictional characters of the 1980s British sitcom Yes Minister and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. He was portrayed by Derek Fowlds.-Character:...
as his political advisor, Frank Weisel, reads a damning press report detailing a series of government inefficiencies. When Sir Humphrey Appleby
Humphrey Appleby
Sir Humphrey Appleby, GCB, KBE, MVO, MA , is a fictional character from the British television series Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. He was played by Sir Nigel Hawthorne. In Yes Minister, he is the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Administrative Affairs...
arrives, Hacker immediately demands a slimming down of his department. Sir Humphrey argues that its staff is "small", numbering some 23,000. When Hacker suggests a time and motion study, his Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
admits that they had undergone such an exercise the previous year — resulting in the recruitment of 500 extra staff. Sir Humphrey suggests that closing Hacker's "bureaucratic watchdog" office would represent a start, but the Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
won't entertain the idea, as it's the one thing he's been able to achieve so far. Hacker insists that Sir Humphrey provides a complete inventory of all the department's staff and buildings, and the civil servant leaves "fully seized" of his Minister's aims. However, Weisel informs Hacker that the north-west Regional Controller has achieved cuts of £32 million in his region — and that the civil service
British Civil Service
Her Majesty's Home Civil Service, also known as the Home Civil Service, is the permanent bureaucracy of Crown employees that supports Her Majesty's Government - the government of the United Kingdom, composed of a Cabinet of ministers chosen by the prime minister, as well as the devolved...
has suppressed it, in case anyone else is forced to make similar savings. Hacker is astonished and instructs Weisel to "ferret around".
Later, Sir Humphrey speaks with Bernard and concedes that he knew about the cutbacks, but is annoyed that the information had got out. When Bernard questions the need for such staffing requirements, Sir Humphrey elucidates him: a large department is the only way that success can be measured within the civil service. Therefore, it is the duty of every Permanent Secretary to convince his Minister to fight for the department's budget. When Bernard argues that the Minister is an MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
who is democratically elected, Sir Humphrey points out that MPs have no training whatsoever, and it is up to the civil service to do the job for them. He also enquires about Weisel's investigative activities, and decides to furnish him with a government car in order to keep tabs on him.
Sir Humphrey meets with his colleague Sir Frederick Stewart, who advises that Hacker should be forced to make economies that affect him personally; Sir Humphrey sees the benefits of such a plan.
Hacker sits down with Sir Humphrey, Bernard and Frank Weisel to thrash out the exact nature of the proposed savings. However, Sir Humphrey knows of Weisel's previous whereabouts and is able — with such reasons as listed building status, classified information
Classified information
Classified information is sensitive information to which access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of persons. A formal security clearance is required to handle classified documents or access classified data. The clearance process requires a satisfactory background investigation...
and potential nuclear holocaust
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
— to rebut all the Minister's charges regarding government buildings. Concerning staffing levels, Sir Humphrey argues that it would not bode well for the government if it announced a series of redundancies in depressed marginal constituencies
Marginal seat
A marginal seat, or swing seat, is a constituency held with a particularly small majority in a legislative election, generally conducted under a single-winner voting system. In Canada they may be known as target ridings. The opposite is a safe seat....
. He then successfully convinces Hacker of the publicity benefits of setting an example to others.
At home that night, after missing his train because he walked to the station, Hacker informs his wife, Annie, of his personal economy drive. She can't quite believe that after 20 years of struggling for his position, he is no better off than he was as a back bencher.
Some days later, Hacker's office has been transformed: much of the furniture has now gone and Bernard is struggling to cope with just one assistant. His diary meeting with Hacker is interrupted by the cleaning lady, who no longer has a night shift. However, the Minister is impressed by his coverage in the tabloids. Hacker is then due to have a meeting about the cutbacks with a senior civil servant, who is unable to make the appointment and whose place is taken — unbeknownst to Hacker — by Ron Watson, a union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leader. He only reveals his identity after Hacker has delivered a vitriolic assessment of the unions and their members. Watson is furious and later goes to the press, which results in a transport strike.
That evening, the Hackers' car breaks down en route to a reception at the French embassy. Annie leaves in disgust and Hacker is forced to fulfill the engagement alone. He leaves the embassy inebriated
Drunkenness
Alcohol intoxication is a physiological state that occurs when a person has a high level of ethanol in his or her blood....
(or "tired and emotional
Tired and emotional
The phrase tired and emotional is a chiefly British euphemism for drunk. It was popularised by the British satirical magazine Private Eye in 1967 after being used in a spoof diplomatic memo to describe the state of Labour Cabinet minister George Brown, but is now used as a stock phrase...
", as at least two of the papers later describe him), and is photographed by a journalist while searching for his car keys.
The next day, Sir Humphrey convinces Hacker to issue a press release announcing 800 job cuts: 400 from his "bureaucratic watchdog" office and an additional 400 who were needed to examine the scope for savings in the first place. In addition, Sir Humphrey gives Hacker a brand new proposal for slimming down the civil service: a proposal to reduce the number of tea ladies
Tea lady
A tea lady is a woman in an office or working environment, whose sole job is to provide beverages and light snacks during the allocated tea break. Tea ladies are a mainly British custom. They entered the mainstream in the UK during the second world war, when tea ladies were used in an experiment...
.
Episode cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Paul Eddington Paul Eddington Paul Eddington CBE was an English actor best known for his appearances in popular television sitcoms of the 1970s and 80s: The Good Life, Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister.-Early life:... |
Jim Hacker |
| Nigel Hawthorne Nigel Hawthorne Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne, CBE was an English actor, perhaps best remembered for his role as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary in the 1980s sitcom Yes Minister and the Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. For this role he won four BAFTA Awards during the 1980s in the... |
Sir Humphrey Appleby |
| Derek Fowlds Derek Fowlds Derek Fowlds is an English actor, known for playing Bernard Woolley in popular British television comedies Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister and Oscar Blaketon in the long-running ITV police drama Heartbeat.... |
Bernard Woolley |
| John Savident John Savident John Savident is a British actor, best known for playing the part of Fred Elliott in the soap opera Coronation Street from 1994 to 2006. And also was a frequent guest on Soccer AM alongside fellow actor Jack 'The Rigger' Spooner.... |
Sir Frederick Stewart |
| Diana Hoddinott Diana Hoddinott Diana Hoddinott is an English actress. She was born to Winifred Doris, née Dibble and Alan Hoddinott , who married in 1934 in Langport.... |
Annie Hacker |
| Neil Fitzwiliam Neil Fitzwiliam Neil Fitzwiliam is an English actor who has made several appearances in theatre, film and television productions.Credits include the first stage production of the musical, Cats, and a part as a dancer in the film, The Slipper and the Rose. His most notable role was as Frank Weisel in the BBC... |
Frank Weisel |
| Milton Johns Milton Johns Milton Johns is an English actor whose thin features and talent for obsequious or oily characters has often influenced the many television parts he has received. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.Johns was born in Bristol... |
Ron Watson |
| Pat Keen Pat Keen Pat Keen is a retired British actress whose career on stage, television and film ran from the 1950s to the 2000s.She is best known for playing strident, bossy middle-aged women in British comedy throughout the 1970s and 1980s, such as the character 'Virginia' in the Fawlty Towers episode "The... |
Nelly |
| Patricia Shakesby Patricia Shakesby Patricia Shakesby is an English actress, best known for her role as Polly Urquhart in Howards' Way.... |
Mandy |
| William Lawford | French Ambassador |
| Norman Tipton Norman Tipton Norman Tipton is a British actor who worked primarily on television in the 1970s.-Career:He appeared in the television series Doctor Who, Shoestring and Yes Minister.... |
Photographer |
| Frank Tregear | Reporter |