| Synopsis: |
The basis of the UK Civil Service was set out 150 years ago in the Northcote-Trevelyan report ('The organisation of the permanent Civil Service', Parliamentary Papers, Vol. XXVII, 1854). The management of the Service has evolved over this time through a non-statutory approach, and the creation of a statutory basis to underpin the role, governance and values of the Civil Service would be a major constitutional reform. This consultation paper seeks comments on whether legislation is a necessary and desirable step to take in support of the core service values of integrity, impartiality and objectivity, in the light of the modern challenges it faces in the 21st century. It contains the text of the Government's draft Civil Service Bill, which would cover staff in the Home Civil Service and the Diplomatic Service, and other government agencies including the Forestry Commission, ACAS, HSE and OFSTED; as well as the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales. The provisions exclude civil servants working in the Secret Intelligence Service and Security Service agencies, and the Northern Ireland Civil Service.The draft Bill contains proposals to establish a Civil Service Commission as an independent statutory body to uphold the principle of selection on merit through fair and open competition, although it provides for the continuing exemption of special advisers from this requirement. It seeks to clarify what special advisers can and cannot do, by redefining their general function as 'assisting' Ministers, and determining that special advisers cannot authorise expenditure, exercise line management supervision over permanent civil servants, or discharge statutory powers. Responses to the consultation paper should be received by 28 February 2005. |