§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on delegation of responsibilities for management in the civil service.
§ Mr. RentonMuch has already been achieved through the next steps initiative and in other ways to delegate responsibility for management in the civil service. The Government are continuing to encourage and develop this process within the existing legal framework regulating the terms and conditions of employment of civil servants.
Past transfers of functions relating to the management of the civil service have, however, had the effect of artificially inhibiting the ability of the Treasury and the Minister for the Civil Service to delegate their current responsibilities as fully and flexibly as they would wish. The Government therefore propose, at a convenient opportunity, to introduce legislation to facilitate such delegation by administrative action under the Order in Council.