Whitehall focus - Cabinet secretary backs civil service Act

13 Oct 05
Cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell this week backed calls for a civil service Act to enshrine Whitehall's independence, but warned that his legislative preferences could be thwarted by political priorities

14 October 2005

Cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell this week backed calls for a civil service Act to enshrine Whitehall's independence, but warned that his legislative preferences could be thwarted by political priorities.

Appearing before the Commons' public administration select committee on October 11, his first parliamentary appearance since becoming head of the civil service in September, O'Donnell clarified his views on such a law.

O'Donnell said: 'Personally, I'd be in favour of anything that entrenches traditional values of honesty and integrity.'

But he added: 'We would need to ensure that there is sufficient flexibility in [the law] to manage it' and warned that 'it is not a legislative priority for the government'.

'The prime minister and Cabinet decide on priorities,' he reminded the committee. This explained the lack of progress as Prime Minister Tony Blair was reluctant to legislate.

Other senior respondents who were being consulted on the matter were steadfastly against an Act, O'Donnell added.

PASC chair Tony Wright has long pushed for legislation, and in 2003 his committee took the unprecedented step of producing a draft Bill that received the support of the mandarins' trade union, the FDA.

Backbench MPs and some high-grade civil servants have become concerned by what they see as the increasing 'politicisation' of the civil service, such as the widespread use of special advisers. They want an Act to detail, for example, the individual responsibilities of civil servants when dealing with political advisers.

MPs believe that could help to prevent a recurrence of events such as the row in 2002 which led to the departure of Jo Moore and Martin Sixsmith from the former Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

However, O'Donnell's predecessor, Sir Andrew Turnbull viewed legislation as unnecessary and potentially constraining. In a parting shot in July, Turnbull claimed proponents had 'completely unrealistic expectations of what it would achieve'.

O'Donnell, however, told PASC members that elements of their draft Bill, such as alterations to the civil service code, could be adopted – and put into practice by bodies such as the civil service commissioners – without the need for an Act.

Wright, however, seized upon O'Donnell's support for legislation. 'Just do it – you and your [political] masters will find that the sky does not fall in,' he urged.

Mottram keeps skills role, despite job move

Sir Richard Mottram, the Cabinet Office's new security and intelligence co-ordinator, will continue to front Whitehall's 'professionalisation' agenda, despite his change of job.

Cabinet Office sources this week confirmed that Mottram would stay on as chair of the civil service's Sector Skills Council, the body that identifies and implements Whitehall's workforce development and training requirements.

Mottram chaired the SSC while he was permanent secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions. He recently replaced Bill Jeffrey as security and intelligence adviser when new Cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell reshuffled his senior staff.

A Cabinet Office source said Mottram's continued stewardship 'provides continuity at a crucial time for the workforce development agenda, such as the Professional Skills for Government programme'.

The PSG agenda, which Mottram has co-ordinated since its inception, is the campaign to ensure the civil service has the right skills and expertise to deliver government and senior management priorities.

It aims to increase the number of professionally qualified staff, such as finance experts, working across central government and to divide civil service posts into three broad categories: policy expert/

analyst; operational delivery; and corporate services, with the aim of eradicating the traditional 'skilled generalist' label.

Meanwhile, Paul Gray, deputy chair of the Revenue and Customs department, is to be responsible for the operational delivery element of the PSG programme.

Sir Brian Bender, permanent secretary at the Department for Trade and Industry, stays on as champion of the policy function, while responsibility over corporate services is split across a number of high-grade civil servants, including Mary Keegan, head of the Government Accountancy Service.

Prashar to chair body for judicial selection

Baroness Usha Prashar will leave her post as first civil service commissioner at the end of this year and will become the first chair of the new Judicial Appointments Commission.

Prashar, a keen advocate of a civil service Act, reached the end of her maximum term in the summer. Her term was extended to the end of the year to allow time to appoint a successor. Baroness Fritchie, commissioner for public appointments, also leaves at Christmas.

The Cabinet Office confirmed that Fritchie's post has been advertised, but was unable to comment on the recruitment of Prashar's successor.

The JAC was set up under the 2005 Constitutional Reform Act to ensure judges are selected through a transparent method and are reflective of wider society.

Constitutional Affairs Secretary Lord Falconer said: 'I am pleased that someone of Baroness Usha Prashar's calibre has been appointed to the Judicial Appointments Commission, one of the cornerstones of the new relationship between judges and politicians.

'She will play a crucial role in shaping the body that will appoint judges in a fair and effective way.'

 

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