Civil Service Fast Stream

HC Deb 02 February 2000 vol 343 cc644-6W

23. Mr. Healey

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the fast stream development programme for civil servants. [106611]

Mr. Stringer

The fast stream development programme is an annual scheme to recruit high calibre graduates into the Civil Service. In line with the Modernising Government agenda, it aims to recruit candidates who are the most able and who reflect the full diversity of our society. The fast stream selection process will come under direct Civil Service management from December 2001.

Candidates are selected by a combination of tests, assessment centre and interview. The programme offers a training and development package leading to early promotion.

The scheme will play an important role in helping to fulfil parts of the "Modernising Government" agenda which lays down key steps for the development of a Civil Service for the 21st Century. Work is continuing to ensure that fast stream entrants reflect the full diversity of society and the scheme is reviewing and developing its recruitment criteria to reflect current and future needs. This will ensure that the most able people meet the Civil Service's need for leadership, management and service delivery as well as traditional policy skills.

The Civil Service fast stream development programme is going through further changes. The former Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham), in response to a parliamentary question from my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Mr. Brown) about the future arrangements for recruitment to the Civil Service fast stream development programme, announced on 10 February 1999, Official Report, column 232: A review of the operation of the recruitment process took place during 1998. As a result I have decided in principle that, on the expiry of the current contracts, the selection stages of the process will return to direct Civil Service management. I expect specialist services including advertising, publicity, response handling and psychology support to continue to be supplied by the private sector following competitive tender.

Direct Civil Service management will begin from December 2001. The aims of this change are to develop the scheme's ability to recruit the best people for the job, improve candidate care and improve the image of the Civil Service as an employer.