We may not have had to endure chainsaw-wielding theatrics from tech moguls but it is clear that Pat McFadden does not feel the UK’s civil service is fit to deliver this government’s ambitions in its current form.
In recent months, we have seen plans for substantial headcount reduction in major departments and the redistribution of significant power into the hands of ministers through the closure of NHS England. And there is nothing to suggest he will stop there. Radical change is coming and our job on the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee is to make sure they are getting it right.
As chair of this committee, I will be leading my members through a series of inquiries which attempt to draw back the curtain and hold ministers and senior officials to account for their decisions.
Our first inquiry in the series, launched in March, will look at what the government actually means by mission-led government. Ministers say they want to "rewire" Whitehall but so far that seems to be more a state of mind than a plan. Whatever they do, it will need to start soon if they are going to deliver their ambitious promises such as 1.5 million new homes and huge cuts to NHS waiting times.
It will take precise direction and collaboration between departments to achieve these missions. What is not clear is whether meaningful structural change is underway to bring this to fruition. Concerningly, only 39% of civil servants agreed they collaborated with other departments and agencies to achieve common goals in 2024. PACAC looked at the issue of data-sharing between departments before I was elected as chair and they raised a number of issues. Spending billions of pounds on fancy tech and AI may sound great but it is not worth anything unless the people and teams delivering it are set up to succeed. Still worse, failure or poor implementation casts a long shadow on future projects. When Pat McFadden told my committee he did not want the fear of failure to be an inhibitor to trying, many of us offered up a silent prayer of relief.
"Ministers say they want to 'rewire' Whitehall but so far that seems to be more a state of mind than a plan"
Departmental silos are not the only challenge facing civil servants today; a culture of poor performance management has held back Whitehall for years. To tackle this, the government introduced a new management framework early this year, but it lacks detail on any new changes to rules around dismissals – an area which we know consecutive governments have struggled with. With £150m to cover employee exit schemes alone and cuts being pushed through at pace, the government risks creating a destabilised culture in Whitehall and this must be avoided.
Although there is no set target for reducing headcount, the government aims to cut administration costs by 15% by the end of the decade. My committee will be demanding candour about where savings will be found and how this is going to affect the delivery of public services. These changes will undoubtedly reshape the size, profile and location of our civil service; whether that is done in a way which genuinely benefits our constituents is still unknown.
Equally as important, we need to understand how this will affect ongoing issues like pay and morale. How can we expect the civil service to thrive if they don’t feel supported? A proper balance between support, challenge and motivation needs to be struck. Falling into the trap of slowing reform as a quid pro quo for policy delivery is to be avoided. That will require ministerial resolve and stiffened sinews. I intend to look closely at the Civil Service Workforce Plan that’s due to be published later this year to ensure it is up to the task.
I welcome the prime minister’s plan for a “more agile, mission-focused, and more productive” workforce. However, very little has been said about the execution of the government’s plan. We are yet to see the detail on how they will ensure Whitehall has the right tools for the job or the timeline for getting there. Without this clarity, there is a danger that these reforms would not produce results and will undermine people’s trust. We need to make sure taxpayers get the service that they deserve: an efficient and productive workforce that can deliver for the British people.
While our friends across the Atlantic favour the ostentatious and outrageous when it comes to tackling inefficiency, we must take a different approach. The government, led by the Cabinet Office, must be diligent, clear-minded and fair when implementing these plans. The committee I lead will tirelessly work to ensure the government is held to those principles.
Simon Hoare is chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee