Civil Service Reform: Challenges and Solutions

Earlier this month Lord Maude, who served as Minister for the Cabinet Office from 2010-2015, published his Independent Review of Governance and Accountability in the Civil Service. The comprehensive review saw Maude speak to former and present civil service leaders, minister and ex-ministers, former Prime Ministers, and many civil servants. Maude concludes that “the arrangements for governance and accountability of the civil service are unclear, opaque and incomplete”, and that the centre of government has become "unwieldy, with confusion about where responsibilities lie."

So what is Lord Maude’s plan to fix these problems and how would his 57 recommendations work? Ministers have reacted coolly to Maude’s plan to split the Treasury and create an Office of Budget and Management, but is he right? What responsibilities should the Cabinet Secretary hold? And what can be done to ensure this review of the civil service succeeds when so many previous attempts have failed?

To discuss these questions and more, Lord Maude joined us in conversation at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

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