13 April 2007
The British civil service has been criticised for a 'we know best' attitude and must learn from its international counterparts if it is to improve policy-making.
That is the conclusion of a study by the Institute for Public Policy Research think-tank, which also jumped to the defence of Chancellor Gordon Brown following criticism by an ex-mandarin that his leadership style was 'Stalinist'.
In the wake of former Cabinet secretary Sir Andrew Turnbull's attack last month, the IPPR instead suggests that 'the disconnection between top politicians and top civil servants arises from the fact that the civil service has not been effectively reformed'.
Report author Guy Lodge, who published Innovations in government: international perspectives on April 6, found that 'the Whitehall policy-making process is closed and insular, often conducted behind closed doors and without external expertise'.
Lodge cites a 'gulf' between civil servants designing policy in Whitehall and those delivering it on the front line, and warns that 'the civil service sees itself as a distinct and separate part of the public service'.
Consequently, he concludes that the civil service does not learn from its failures, has a narrow skills base, and fails to evaluate the impact of policy effectively.
It must learn from countries such as Canada, Denmark, New Zealand and Finland, Lodge says. This means it must become more transparent, glean advice from a wider range of sources, clarify in detail the respective roles of ministers and civil servants, report directly to Parliament, and improve joined-up government.
IPPR director Nick Pearce, speaking as the study was launched, said: 'The man in Whitehall does not know best. Civil servants need to learn from excellent practice around the world and accept that they do not have a monopoly on good advice. Although Whitehall is improving… the pace of change is too slow.'
International practices studied by the IPPR included France's unified civil service, which gives senior officials exposure to other parts of the public service in local and regional government, including delivery roles.
While the UK is unlikely to mirror the merged French system, Cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell recently told Public Finance that he was 'keen to ensure that the most talented individuals in local government are given the opportunity to shape Whitehall practices', and vice-versa, through regular secondments, or by making it easier for officials to move between the two sectors.
PFapr2007
