Civil Servants, Ministers and Parliament

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 introduction to the Westminster Model, including much interesting analysis, comment and practical advice for today's civil servants. 

Here is a detailed list of contents:

1.  Background, History & Further Reading

1. Introduction
2. The UK Constitution 
1. Burke, Green & Civil Service Ethics
2. Northcote Trevelyan Reforms
3. The Haldane Report
4. 'Crichel Down'
3. The Armstrong Memorandum
4. The Osmotherly Rules
5. The Carltona Principle
6. The Seven Principles of Public Life (The Nolan Principles)
7. Ministers' Duties
8. Official Guidance & Further Reading

2.  Civil Service Ethics

1. The Civil Service Code
2. Integrity
1. Conflicts of Interest
2. Gifts & Hospitality
3. Financial interests
4. Outside Appointments and Employments
5. Post-Retirement Business Appointments
6. Fraud & Corruption
7. Institutional Integrity
8. Compliance with the Law
3. Honesty & Objectivity
4. Personal Impartiality
5. Appointment on Merit
6. Accountability

3.  Political Impartiality

1. What does Political Impartiality Mean?
2. Practical Advice
3. Is it Difficult to be Impartial?
4. Serial Monogamists?
5. Political Activity
1. Senior Officials
2. Middle ranking & Junior Officials
3. Petitions
6. Communications & Social Media
1. Tweets
2. Official Photographs
3. Embargoes
7. Prime Minister's Office
8. General Elections & National Referendums
9. And finally ...

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

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

5.  Blunders and Criticism

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

6.  Increasing Accountability

1. The Story So Far
2. Corporate Manslaughter
3. Policy Directions
4. Procedural Directions
5. Feasibility Directions
6. Senior Responsible Officers
7. Accounting Officer Assessments
8. Will We Notice the Difference?
1. Will Ministers Change their Behaviour?
2. What will Happen to the Minister-Official Relationship?
3. Will MPs Respect their New Role?
4. Policy Assessments are Not to be Shown to MPs
5. MPs prefer to Hold Ministers to Account

Further Reading

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Martin Stanley