The Civil Service Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is the civil service’s key function?
It bridges democratic decision-making and administrative implementation
Three main roles of the civil service…
Implementing legislation
Providing policy advice
Ensuring continuity across governments
What principles guide the civil service?
Impartiality
Anonymity
Ministerial Responsibility
What is historical recruitment trend in the civil service?
Favour Oxbridge-educated, middle-class individuals
What is a key diversity issue in the civil service?
Underrepresentation of women at senior levels (though improving)
Two structural features of the civil service
Hierarchical organisation and Functional specialisation
What impact has reliance on third-party providers had?
Reduced core roles and weakened accountability
What did the Northcote-Trevelyan Report (1854) establish?
Merit-based recruitment
What did the Haldane Report (1918) emphasise?
A civil servant-minister partnership in policymaking
What was the main call of the Fulton Report (1968)?
More specialist recruitment and external experience
What did the Ibbs Report (1988) criticise?
The civil service’s lack of accountability and management focus
What are the three models of minster-civil servant relations?
Neutral professionalism, mutual cooperation, and adversarial conflict
What common complaint do minsters make about civil servants and how are they negatively portrayed?
They offer ambiguous advice or resit reforms
As obstructionist or overly bureaucratic
What were the priorities under Thatcher and Mayor?
Efficiency and management over policy
What did the “Next Steps” initiative intrude in 1988
Executive agencies -> by 2000 3/4 of civil servants worked in them
What did Major promote to improve coordination?
Joined-up government and new social policy units
What er eye changes under New Labour and how did they affect accountability ?
Encouraged outsider recruitment and risk-taking; created delivery units in the PM’s office
It became blurred due to increased reliance on SpAds (special advisers who focused on PR and media -> reducing civil service influence)
What role did the civil service play in 2010
Helped manage transition to coalition government
Recurring Conservative civil service reform themes…
Efficiency, downsizing, diversity, and tech integration
What civil service reform commitment appeared in the 2024 manifesto?
Reduce the size to pre-pandemic levels and embrace open recruitment and technology
Why is the civil service often absent from party manifesto?
Low political priority
Long-term concern about civil service
Efficiency, expertise, and management capacity
What shift has occurred in cvil service roles?
From policy advice to service delivery
How has external recruitment affected the civil service?
Diluted traditional structure and influence
