Public sector staff are fearing for the future, according to a new survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Out of 200 respondents from the public sector to the CIPD’s 2006 learning and development survey, 56% expected circumstances to worsen, compared with 42% in 2005.

More than two-fifths of those surveyed said that the training budgets of public sector organisations had been squeezed.

Jessica Jarvis, CIPD learning and development adviser, said: “The public sector is experiencing rapid change, significant reorganisations, and sustained pressure to find efficiency savings.

“But cutting training budgets at a time when employees need to deal with changing roles and structures is a false economy.”