UK Inquiry Tracker

Specialist skills in the civil service

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 16 Sep 2020 Closed: 25 Mar 2021 Parliament page

In the midst of a series of major challenges to Government in developing responses to Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and the UK’s 2050 net-zero carbon target, the Committee is launching an inquiry on progress in developing specialist skills across the civil service. Civil service skills and capabilities were thrown into … Read more In the midst of a series of major challenges to Government in developing responses to Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and the UK’s 2050 net-zero carbon target, the Committee is launching an inquiry on progress in developing specialist skills across the civil service. Civil service skills and capabilities were thrown into focus in recent years as the UK built towards its departure from the European Union - a focus greatly sharpened as we adapt to a global pandemic emergency. The Committee continues to scrutinise aspects of the Government’s response to Covid-19 and the civil service’s capacity and capability to respond to a range of challenges. Government supports the development of specialist skills through cross-government functions, which develop and deliver expertise to government departments. This inquiry will focus on the NAO’s report on the Cabinet Office’s progress across four of those functions in particular: Commercial, Digital, Finance and Project Delivery, including the Cabinet Office’s oversight of the functions; progress in developing specialist skills within the functions; and areas where the functions need to develop further. The NAO finds that the Cabinet Office now sets clear expectations for the performance of functions and requires regular reporting on their costs and benefits. Functions have also become more established as the means for advancing specialist skills and expertise across government. However, the functional model to fully succeed, departments need to consistently embed that functional expertise in their business planning, and Government could exploit functions more effectively to support cross‑government working. In addition, to support recruitment and retention HM Treasury now allows functions and departments to exercise some pay flexibility – but this can lead to workforce management issues. In mid-October we will question senior Cabinet Office and Treasury officials on the latest picture on specialist skills and capabilities in the civil service. If you have evidence on the issues raised in this inquiry please submit them here by Thursday 8 October. Show less

6 Recommendations

14 Conclusions

1 Report

1 Oral session

1 Event

Activity timeline 3 events

24 Mar
2021

Report published

Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirty second report from Session 2019-21

11 Dec
2020

Report published

Thirty-second Report - Specialist Skills in the civil service

2 Nov
2020

Oral evidence

Specialist skills in the Civil Service

Oral evidence sessions 1 session

2 Nov 2020

View on parliament.uk

Specialist skills in the Civil Service

Alex Chisholm · Cabinet Office Cat Little · Cabinet Office Rupert McNeil · Cabinet Office

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Thirty-second Report - Specialist Skills in the civil service	HC 686	11 Dec 2020	20	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 results

5 Recommendation Rejected

Thirty-second Report - Specialist …

Seven years on from their introduction, functions still have not developed clear plans to help...

Seven years on from their introduction, functions still have not developed clear plans to help maximise their impact, and lack strategic direction. The Department requires all functions to put in place their own ‘capability blueprint’. Blueprints should include a clear … Read more

Government Response

The government explicitly disagrees with the recommendation's timeline, stating that functions will need additional time beyond April 2021 due to contextual pressures and data availability, although some functions like HR and Finance aim to publish blueprints in 2021 or 2021-22.

HM Treasury

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16 Conclusion Rejected

Thirty-second Report - Specialist …

We believe blueprints are a key part in setting out the operating model for each...

We believe blueprints are a key part in setting out the operating model for each function, and an important control tool for managing the relationships between functions and departments. Once they are in place it will be easier for functions … Read more

Government Response

The government explicitly disagrees (despite this being a conclusion), stating that functions will need additional time beyond April 2021 to finalise capability blueprints due to contextual pressures and data availability, although some functions aim for completion in 2021 or 2021-22.

HM Treasury

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17 Conclusion Rejected

Thirty-second Report - Specialist …

Despite the lack of capability blueprints in place, HM Treasury shared with us positive examples...

Despite the lack of capability blueprints in place, HM Treasury shared with us positive examples of cross-government collaboration. The Treasury told us it had integrated functions into major investment decisions, with all functions involved in the appraisal of capital programmes … Read more

Government Response

The government explicitly disagrees with the Committee's perceived recommendation regarding capability blueprints, citing contextual pressures and data availability for delays, while outlining current progress by various functions.

HM Treasury

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Government Response AI assessment · 20 of 6 classified

Accepted 12

Acknowledged 3

Not Addressed 2

Rejected 3

Total 6 recs + 14 conclusions