Recruitment (Hansard, 22 December 1982)

§ Mr. Hayhoe

Under the Civil Service Order in Council 1978, the Civil Service commissioners are responsible for approving and certifying the qualifications of all candidates for appointment in the Home Civil Service and the Diplomatic Service. For many years, however, Government Departments have recruited staff to a wide range of junior grades under authority delegated from the Civil Service commissioners. The commissioners' role in this recruitment has in practice been confined to checking certain aspects of eligibility and issuing a certificate of qualification.

From 1 January 1983, full responsibility for recruitment to these junior grades will be transferred from the Civil Service commissioners to Departments. This extension of Departments' autonomy, where they already perform the actual recruitment and selection task, will eliminate a good deal of nugatory administrative work. Departments will 521W undertake recruitment in accordance with guidance and instructions issued by the Management and Personnel Office on the authority of the Minister for the Civil Service. Specific and formal arrangements will be made to ensure that, in the departmentally recruited area, Ministers are not concerned in individual selection decisions, and that final responsibility for such decisions rests with the permanent head of the Department concerned. The Civil Service commissioners will remain wholly responsible for central recruitment to the more senior grades, which they are best placed to undertake.

To give effect to the new recruitment arrangements, the Civil Service Order in Council 1982 was made at a meeting of the Privy Council which was held today. The order, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, revokes and re-enacts with amendments the Civil Service Order in Council 1978.