Whitehall focus Civil service values under threat

7 Jul 05
The government must legislate as soon as possible to protect the impartiality of civil servants as the pressures they endure are 'greater than ever', the first civil service commissioner has warned.

08 July 2005

The government must legislate as soon as possible to protect the impartiality of civil servants as the pressures they endure are 'greater than ever', the first civil service commissioner has warned.

Baroness Prashar, who is responsible for upholding the civil service code of conduct, said it was vital to protect Whitehall's culture of 'merit, impartiality, transparency, and accountability' at a time when it was vulnerable.

'The core values can be perceived by some as standing in the way of speedy reform and there is a temptation to circumvent processes which are designed to maintain them,' she warned.

Ministers trying to drive through ambitious reform programmes have come under fire from trades unions and politicians, who have accused them of politicising the civil service.

Prashar, speaking at the launch of the Civil Service Commissioners' annual report, said demands on civil servants to 'develop a can-do mentality' must not dilute their obligation to offer objective and impartial advice.

'There is a need for the values to be entrenched in legislation and for Parliament to be given an oversight by introducing a civil service Bill,' she said.

Ministers published a draft civil service Bill for consultation in November 2004. But, significantly, there was no commitment in the Queen's Speech in May to introduce the Bill in this session.

As a result, legislation will not be passed until the 2006/07 session at the earliest. Prashar launched a coded attack on the continuing delay.

'The government's commitment appears to be lukewarm, but legislation, along with active promotion of the civil service code and the special advisers code, are essential if we are to keep the values alive and breathe new life into them,' she said.

'This should not be done begrudgingly but with commitment and enthusiasm,' she added.

PAC finds fault with IT project vetting process

Many Whitehall IT projects continue to be delivered late and over budget, despite attempts by the Treasury to improve departmental performance, senior MPs have reported.

A report by the Commons' Public Accounts Committee, published on July 5, assesses attempts by the Office for Government Commerce, a Treasury offshoot, to improve the government's patchy performance in delivering IT projects.

Despite highlighting some improvements, the report does not bode well for the government's reputation. Up to 70 projects have stalled after being given 'red lights', following secretive reviews under a new OGC scrutiny system.

PAC chair Edward Leigh said that despite the new gateway reviews, designed to help organisations monitor projects at key stages, many IT systems are still delivered 'late, well over budget, or do not work at all'.

Gateway reviews are mandatory across Whitehall, but Leigh found that 'many large IT projects do not go through all of the stages'. Up to a third of projects effectively bypass the business case stage of the reviews.

Leigh called on the OGC to work more closely with departments to ensure that reviews are used effectively, that 'good practice and guidance are accessible to those that need it and that departments can build up the project management experience they need'.

He also called for greater National Audit Office scrutiny of key projects that get the go-ahead for implementation despite 'red lights' following gateway reviews.

The Public and Commercial Services union said that 'millions of pounds of taxpayers' cash is being wasted and public services put at risk' by the poor performance.

OFT seeks links with standards agency

The Office of Fair Trading this week outlined the benefits that could emerge from creating the proposed Consumer Trading Standards Agency as an executive body under its charge.

In a 'companion document' to the Department of Trade and Industry's ongoing Hampton consultation, published on July 5, the OFT claimed there would be 'clear advantages to consumers and businesses' of a set-up linking itself with an arm's-length CTSA, including less red tape and improved customer protection.

'Under this framework the OFT would remain an integrated independent consumer and competition authority with the aim of making markets work well for consumers and fair-dealing businesses.

'The CTSA would have the autonomy and authority to take forward more effective and consistent consumer regulation… as a new agency integrated with the OFT's wider work,' the document states.

The establishment of the CTSA was a recommendation from Philip Hampton's cost-cutting review into regulatory inspection and enforcement across Whitehall and other business facilitating bodies. The DTI has suggested that the CTSA could become part of the OFT, an executive agency within the OFT, or an independent body.

PFjul2005

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