The lobby, organised by the TUC, will be preceded by a rally at the Methodist Central Hall. Prospect’s delegation will include representatives from:

• the Highways Agency, where members are being balloted on strike action after management imposed a below inflation pay offer
• Vehicle Operator Services Agency, where members are fighting plans to outsource key functions which they fear will impact on safety
• the Forensic Science Service which, having undergone a recent massive reorganisation after becoming the first government-owned company (GovCo), faces further reviews
• Ordnance Survey, one of the organisations threaten with privatisation in the Chancellor’s pre-Budget statement
• and Defra agencies including the Veterinary Laboratories Agency and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science that are fighting for pay parity with colleagues in core Defra and face privatisation.

Prospect General Secretary Paul Noon said: "The pre-Budget statement and recent ministerial announcements make it clear that few areas of Prospect’s membership in the civil and public service will be untouched by government plans for further reorganisation, privatisation and job cuts.

"The breadth of discontent across the union’s public service members demonstrates the failure of the Treasury’s pay remit to deliver fair pay outcomes for specialists over the last year.

"Our members believe passionately that the important work they undertake, for example providing forensic scientific support to all police murder enquiries, should remain in the public sector. Yet the government seems committed to an agenda of privatisation, out-sourcing and job cuts which ignores the lessons of the past."