Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency

HC Deb 18 February 1994 vol 237 c1011W

Mr. Garnier

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has begun his review of the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency.

Mr. Waldegrave

A review of the agency status of Recruitment and Assessment Services—RAS—is now under way. As a next steps agency the performance of RAS will be evaluated and RAS activities will be subjected to the normal prior options tests set out in the 1993 "Next Steps Review"—Cm 2430.

This work will take into account the further review of the civil service fast stream entry which has been set up following the Oughton report, "Career Management and Succession Planning Study" and on which I am announcing progress today. In addition, the review team will consider the appropriate relationships between the civil service recruitment services, the role of the civil service commissioners, and the recruitment responsibilities of Government Departments.

Comments and contributions from those with an interest in RAS and its work would be welcome and should be sent by 25 March 1994 to David Clark, recruitment studies team, Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service and Science, room 69A/2, Horse Guards road, London, SW1P 3AL.