Matt Hancock will have "overall responsibility for the policy and work" of the Cabinet Office but is not a full Cabinet minister, the government has confirmed, as more details on his role emerged this afternoon.
The new minister for the Cabinet Office, who replaces Francis Maude, was appointed yesterday as David Cameron put the finishing touches to his ministerial team following the Conservatives' general election victory.
There was some confusion yesterday over the precise role former business minister Hancock would play, when Cameron announced that Oliver Letwin – previously minister for policy in the Cabinet Office – would now be in "overall charge" of the department, a responsibility which previously fell to Maude. It has now emerged that Hancock will have the same policy remit as his predecessor, but will report to Oliver Letwin.
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A description of Hancock's role provided by the Cabinet Office today in an updated ministerial profile matches that previously given to Maude, and includes responsibility for the civil service; public sector efficiency and reform; public sector industrial relations; government transparency; cyber security; and civil society.
The Cabinet Office this afternoon confirmed to CSW that while Hancock will be Cabinet-attending, he is a minister of state, with Letwin serving as the full Cabinet minister for the department.
Letwin, who continues as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster – a largely ceremonial title – now starts work in his first full Cabinet post. A Tory MP since 1997, he served as a key behind-the-scenes player in the previous government, overseeing initiatives including the new network of 'What Works' research centres to support evidence-based policy.
There has been further reaction to Hancock's appointment since it was announced yesterday, with the Reform think tank this afternoon saying the new minister had taken on "one of the toughest jobs in government".
"Whitehall shrugged off Francis Maude's reform plan with ease," Reform's deputy director Richard Harries said. "The challenge now is to restart that process, build on the more successful elements like mutualisation, and continue to drive out efficiencies across departments."
Dave Penman of the FDA union meanwhile called on Hancock to demonstrate "clear vision" of how the Conservatives' plans for an estimated £30bn of public spending cuts would be met, warning that the civil service "cannot simply be treated as a tool for deficit reduction".
He added: "If it is to be smaller but more able, the government needs to outline how it will provide civil servants with the recognition, reward and resources they need to deliver the services the public expects.”
The prime minister chaired the first meeting of his new-look Cabinet this morning, announcing that he would be putting two bills – one lowering the benefit cap to £23,000 per year to fund apprenticeships and one doubling the amount of free childcare people are entitled to – at the heart of the first Queen's Speech of the parliament.
Meanwhile, Cabinet secretary Jeremy Heywood has said it will be "business as usual" for the civil service following the election of the new government.
In a post on his GOV.UK blog, Heywood said Whitehall stood "ready to support and implement the policies of the incoming administration", and praised the civil service for its "professionalism, integrity and impartiality" during the election campaign.