Leadership

Good ideas on policymaking meet risky ones on accountability

Since last year, the PM and DPM have been noisily pushing for the rapid implementation of coalition policies. Matt Ross meets Will Cavendish, whose job it is to chivvy departments into delivering on the government’s promises

Cabinet secretary Jeremy Heywood is “angry” at attacks on the civil service in the newspapers over the past month, and the prime minister and deputy prime minister share that anger, Heywood told the Public Administration Select Committee last week.

The papers have been full of frothy stories and silly stereotypes about the civil service, says Mark Lowcock. This risks distracting us from the real – and very important – challenge of adapting to the tasks at hand

Under Labour, the Cabinet Office reviewed departments’ capabilities – but these days, departments examine their own performance before producing Capability Action Plans. Ben Willis sets out their findings, warts and all

As the government prepares its civil service reform plans, CSW has carried out a major survey of civil servants – testing views both on how Whitehall is changing, and how it should change. Joshua Chambers reports.

The government’s civil service reform plan will increase the “corporate management” of the senior civil service and allow departments to better understand the abilities of employees in other organisations when recruiting, Sir Bob Kerslake, head of the civil service, has told CSW.

Dave Penman, the current deputy general secretary of the FDA, will become the trade union’s next general secretary later this year, it was announced yesterday.

Former cabinet secretary Lord O’Donnell has defended the civil service following attacks from backbench MPs – including Tory MP Douglas Carswell and minister Greg Barker – and newspapers.

The last chair of the UK Statistics Authority was a fierce defender of the impartial and objective use of statistics. His replacement, Andrew Dilnot, tells Joshua Chambers how he intends to operate in this sensitive and important role.

As head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Dr Malcolm McKibbin has a very challenging job. However, as he tells Joshua Chambers, the main challenge has evolved from ending the Troubles to stimulating business growth

Permanent secretaries’ objectives are likely to be expanded, with responsibility for cross-cutting government agendas – such as encouraging economic growth – included in their appraisal systems, cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood has said. Meanwhile, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude told CSW that permanent secretaries and ministers should be accountable to Parliament for the policies they helped to implement even when they have moved departments or retired.

When things go wrong in government, a ministerial scapegoat is often sought. Joshua Chambers examines the convention of ministerial responsibility – and asks whether it still holds the power to unseat secretaries of state.

Departmental select committee chairs have provided mixed reviews of the departments they scrutinise for a Civil Service World Special Report, which has found that 40 per cent of them are dissatisfied with departments’ responses to their reports.

Civil service leaders must praise good work, support employee development and remain “visible and understanding” to address the problem that civil servants are becoming less proud of their organisation, according to civil service head Sir Bob Kerslake.

After 37 years on Whitehall Stephen Laws, the government’s top drafter of legislation, is retiring. Suzannah Brecknell grabs him on his way out of the door to discuss a life spent writing laws for seven prime ministers

Officials must fulfil their duty to challenge poor policies

To really transform public services, leaders must be braver, argues Alasdair Ramage.

The new leadership arrangements at the top of the civil service should be reviewed within six months, the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) has said.

The recent gains in the diversity of the civil service may slip back this year, former senior civil servant and London mayoral candidate Siobhan Benita has warned.

The new leaders of the civil service are to tighten up corporate leadership with the creation of a Civil Service Board, the head of the civil service Sir Bob Kerslake has told CSW.

After 15 years in the civil service – including a stint as the cabinet secretary’s communications chief – Siobhan Benita is making the leap into politics. Matt Ross meets the would-be London mayor as she kicks off her campaign.

The incoming head of the civil service, Sir Bob Kerslake, has warned civil servants that in 2012 ministers will expect to agree and enact reforms across the civil service.