Thirty-second Report - Specialist Skills in the civil service
Select Committee
Public Accounts Committee
HC 686
11 December 2020
Government response
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirty second report from Session 2019-21 · published 24 Mar 2021
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
8
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Some functions, such as the Commercial function, have introduced pay flexibility in order to try...
Conclusion
Some functions, such as the Commercial function, have introduced pay flexibility in order to try and increase recruitment of specialists. The Cabinet Office told us that the use of flexibilities in the Government Commercial Organisation had been an effective way …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's observation that pay flexibility can be effective, outlining existing mechanisms such as departmental pay delegation, pay exception processes, SCS pay reviews via the SSRB, and the use of Pivotal Role Allowances for specialists.
HM Treasury
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15
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Developing detailed plans for each function—also known as ‘capability blueprints’— is fundamental to the effective...
Conclusion
Developing detailed plans for each function—also known as ‘capability blueprints’— is fundamental to the effective operation of the functional model in government. The National Audit Office report found that without capability and capacity plans in place it is difficult for …
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Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of capability blueprints for functions and confirms commitment to their formulation and publication, explaining that additional time beyond April 2021 is needed due to contextual pressures and data availability, while detailing progress for Commercial, Finance, and HR functions.
HM Treasury
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19
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Cabinet Office explained that the Digital function has made progress identifying the cost savings...
Conclusion
The Cabinet Office explained that the Digital function has made progress identifying the cost savings of moving to permanent staff from contract labour and, as part of this, the function has recognised the indirect cost benefit of retaining skills within …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's observation, outlining existing frameworks like the "measuring the impact of government functions" project and the Green Book methodology which assess and guide efficiency and impact across government functions.
HM Treasury
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