Constitutional Renewal Bill

The Commissioners welcome Civil Service legislation

The Commissioners were very pleased to welcome the Government’s publication of the draft Constitutional Renewal Bill on 25 March 2008.

The Government published the draft Constitutional Renewal Bill on 25 March 2008. The Commissioners have argued for some time that it is right that the core values of the Civil Service and the principle of recruitment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition should be placed on a statutory footing. We believe that the constitutional position of the Civil Service and the core values which underpin its work are too important to be left to a Civil Service Order in Council and a Civil Service Code. Both of which could be easily changed by a future Government without prior Parliamentary debate and scrutiny.

Although the Civil Service exists to serve the Government of the day, it also exists to serve successive administrations with equal commitment. To do this effectively, the Civil Service needs to be underpinned by a set of enduring values - honesty, impartiality, integrity, objectivity and selection on merit. There should be no capability to change those values without the consent of Parliament.

Civil Service Commission

Part Five of the draft Bill concerns the Civil Service. It proposes that there should be a Civil Service Commission comprising the Civil Service Commissioners and their staff. read more

Right approach

The Government’s stated aim was to publish clear provisions relating to the Civil Service that dealt with principles and values. read more

Promotion

We believe that the draft Bill should also place on a statutory footing the principle of promotion on merit within the Civil Service. read more

GCHQ

Civil servants working in GCHQ are excluded from the provisions of the draft Bill. read more

Diplomatic Service

Appointments to the senior levels of the Diplomatic Service are excluded from the

Enhanced powers

The powers of the Civil Service Commission under the draft Bill are very similar to the read more

Recruitment Principles

It is proposed that a set of Recruitment Principles will replace the Commissioners’ Recruitment Code. read more

Exceptions

Under the draft Bill the Commission will have more flexibility to determine the use of

Additional functions

The draft Bill provides for the Minister of the Civil Service and the Commission to agree

Power to initiate investigations

There is one issue on which the Commissioners have yet to reach a firm view: the right of

Independence

The draft Bill proposes setting up the Commission as a corporate body so as to demonstrate its

Consultation

The Commissioners are pleased to be able to participate in the process of consideration

Going forward

The Commissioners welcome the publication of the draft Bill. We generally support the provisions in the Bill which affect the Civil Service and look forward to its early introduction into Parliament. We do, however, believe there are ways in which the draft can be improved and the opportunity should be taken to do this.