§ Mr. Williamsasked the Minister for the Civil Service in what circumstances an outside organisation is directly involved in appointments to posts of which the holder is to be a certificated member of the Civil Service; and what safeguards apply to such appointments.
§ Mr. LuceOutside selection consultants may occasionally be used to supplement the normal recruitment arrangements where they can provide expert knowledge of the market for particular skills and access to candidates who might not otherwise respond to public advertisement. Outside employers may be invited to nominate individuals for consideration where it is judged appropriate for a post to be filled by short-term secondment to the Civil Service. Suitably qualified experts from outside organisations may also be invited to participate in selection boards. The principal safeguard in these and other appointments is the need for the qualifications of those proposed for appointment to be approved by the Civil Service Commissioners in accordance with the requirement of the Civil Service Order in Council 1982.
§ Mr. Williamsasked the Minister for the Civil Service in what circumstances it is unnecessary for there to be a public advertisement of a post of which the holder is to be a certificated member of the Civil Service but which is to be open to persons who are not current members of the Civil Service.
§ Mr. LuceWhether posts have to be publicly advertised is a matter for the Civil Service Commissioners; recruitment schemes have to be sufficiently publicised to their satisfaction. The circumstances in which the commissioners may waive the requirement for open competition are set out in regulation 11 of the Civil Service Commission General Regulations 1986. A copy is in the Library of the House.