Understanding the UK Civil Service - The Westminster Model - Impartiality, Accountability & all that

The Westminster Model:-
Impartiality, Accountability & all that

Civil servants work within a constitutional framework known as the Westminster Model which requires them to be politically impartial whilst being principally accountable only to Ministers within the current government.

They also work within a wide range of ethical and other constraints which are taken very seriously by both senior staff and the wider public. This includes an ethical code which requires officials to be honest, impartial, challenging and collaborative. One of their key skills, therefore, is to achieve their objectives whilst observing both the letter and the spirit of their various obligations.

Civil Servants, Ministers and Parliament is an easily accessible and inexpensive introduction to the Westminster Model, including much interesting analysis, comment and practical advice for today's civil servants.

Links to purchase options - from £1.00 - are at the bottom of this web page. Here is a detailed list of contents:

1. Background, History & Further Reading

Introduction
The UK Constitution

Burke, Green & Civil Service Ethics
Northcote Trevelyan Reforms
The Haldane Report
'Crichel Down'

The Armstrong Memorandum
The Osmotherly Rules
The Carltona Principle
The Seven Principles of Public Life (The Nolan Principles)
Ministers' Duties
Official Guidance & Further Reading

2. Civil Service Ethics

The Civil Service Code
Integrity

Conflicts of Interest
Gifts & Hospitality
Financial interests
Outside Appointments and Employments
Post-Retirement Business Appointments
Fraud & Corruption
Institutional Integrity
Compliance with the Law

Honesty & Objectivity
Personal Impartiality
Appointment on Merit
Accountability

3. Political Impartiality

What does Political Impartiality Mean?
Practical Advice
Is it Difficult to be Impartial?
Serial Monogamists?
Political Activity

Senior Officials
Middle ranking & Junior Officials
Petitions

Communications & Social Media

Tweets
Official Photographs
Embargoes

Prime Minister's Office
General Elections & National Referendums
And finally ...

4. No! Minister. What should you do if ...

... a Minister rejects your advice?
... a Minister requires you to implement a policy with which you profoundly disagree?
... a Minister will not provide adequate resources?
... a Minister asks you to do something illegal or improper?
... you believe that a previously legitimate government is developing clear authoritarian tendencies?
And can an unhappy official achieve more by leaving - or by staying and seeking to improve things from within?

5. Blunders and Criticism

What happened to Speaking Truth to Power?
Government Blunders
What Caused these Blunders?
The World is Now Very Different
Whitehall Thinks it Knows Best
Whitehall Does Know Best!
Would it help if Civil Servants were Publicly Accountable?
It's Just as Bad (or Worse) Elsewhere
Some Structural Issues

6. Increasing Accountability

The Story So Far
Corporate Manslaughter
Policy Directions
Procedural Directions
Feasibility Directions
Senior Responsible Officers
Accounting Officer Assessments
Will We Notice the Difference?

Will Ministers Change their Behaviour?
What will Happen to the Minister-Official Relationship?
Will MPs Respect their New Role?
Policy Assessments are Not to be Shown to MPs
MPs prefer to Hold Ministers to Account

Purchasing/Download Options

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Civil Servants, Ministers and Parliament

The Westminster Model:- Impartiality, Accountability & all that