§ Mr. Gerald BowdenTo ask the Minister for the Civil Service what steps he is taking to promote management training in the Civil Service.
§ Mr. LuceManagement development programmes are available to all levels of managers in the Civil Service. The top management programme, a six-week course with equal numbers of civil servants and non-civil servants, caters for all those newly promoted to grade 3 (under-secretary). The senior management development programme, a scheme involving a wide range of developmental opportunities, provides a framework for the systematic development of managers at grades 4 to 7 (broadly, assistant secretary to principal). A wide range of other opportunities is available to more junior managers. The Civil Service College provides high quality management training for senior and developmental grades.
In their response to the first report of the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee on Next Steps, the Government announced an incentive funding scheme designed to encourage Departments to increase their investment in training and development carried out as part of the senior mangement development programme. I am pleased to say that Departments and agencies have risen to the challenge, and this scheme has been responsible for considerable additional investment in these key management grades. I am delighted to announce that £1 million has been made available for continuing the challenge funding scheme in 1990–91.