asked Her Majesty’s Government:
When the Civil Service Bill announced by the Prime Minister in July 2007 will be introduced.
My Lords, as set out in the Governance of Britain Green Paper, the Government are committed to taking forward legislation to enshrine the core principles and values of the Civil Service in law. The legislation will form part of the Constitutional Renewal Bill and will be published in draft for consultation soon.
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. I am very pleased to hear that she is still determined to introduce this Bill, which we hope will not be very long away. Is she aware that one of the Prime Minister’s first announcements was that he intended to introduce this Bill, and after eight years the undertaking has finally been accepted? We now want to know when the legislation will come before the House and before Parliament generally. It will need to deal with the impartiality of the Civil Service, stiffened by the force of law, and with the role of special advisers, which is an important part of what I hope to see in the legislation that comes before us.
My Lords, as I have indicated, the legislation will put in statute the basic principles and values of the Civil Service—its political impartiality, its ability to serve any Administration, selection on merit through fair and open competition and the role of the Civil Service Commissioners. It will, indeed, make provision for the appointment and role of special advisers.
My Lords, I also welcome the Minister’s indication that the Bill is at last to see the light of day. Can she, however, say whether it is the Government’s intention that it should cover issues of ethical regulation, particularly in regard to some of the matters raised in another place by the Public Administration Select Committee on post-service employment?
My Lords, the noble Lord was kind enough to indicate that he was going to ask this question and I am grateful to him for doing so. I cannot at this point get into the detail of the legislation. It will be published for consultation as part of the Constitutional Renewal Bill. However, I offer him the opportunity to talk with me about the particular issues that he is keen to see within the Bill, so that I might feed them in.
My Lords, does political impartiality extend to public servants in uniform? It has been marked under the Government that chief police officers and senior military officers have been used to promote government policies. Will this be covered in the Bill and is it desirable?
My Lords, if the noble Lord would like to give me evidence of what he has indicated, I would be extremely grateful and very interested. The purpose of the Question was to look at the Civil Service legislation and I have indicated that it will be published. He can look for himself when he is able to consider the process for consultation.
My Lords, what was the secret of the success of Northcote and Trevelyan in getting legislation on this subject on the statute book so much more swiftly than the present Government?
My Lords, unfortunately, as the noble Lord knows, I am unable to ask them. However, I hope he will welcome what is proposed, especially when he sees it and is able to add his voice to the process of consultation.
My Lords, there have been a considerable number of well publicised incidents of lax security in government departments recently. Can the Minister assure the House that the forthcoming Bill will reinforce the obligations of the Civil Service to protect people’s privacy?
My Lords, the Cabinet Secretary has already been very involved in ensuring that the issues that the noble Lord rightly raises have been understood properly within the Civil Service, within all government departments and by all Ministers. I hope he will agree that it is appropriate for the Cabinet Secretary to continue to make it clear that we wish to see people’s information protected. The right way to do that is to make sure that the procedures in place are followed thoroughly.
My Lords, will the Bill cover the Diplomatic Service, which, as the House knows, comes under a different Order in Council?
My Lords, I have no information on that at this time. Might I notify the noble Lord when I do? As I said, the Bill will be open for consultation shortly.
My Lords, is not the answer to the question of the noble Lord, Lord Brooke, that Northcote-Trevelyan only had to persuade a Liberal Government, a much easier task when putting forward radical reform?
Do me a favour, my Lords.
Armstrong!
My Lords, I think it is the wish of the House to hear from the noble Lord, Lord Armstrong.
My Lords, is the Minister aware that some of us would be happy to relieve her of the constant and unrelieving pressure for a Civil Service Bill if she on behalf of the Government, and the Leader of the Opposition on behalf of the Official Opposition, were to give firm undertakings that they would observe and honour the core principles and values of the Civil Service?
My Lords, I will not speak on behalf of the noble Lord opposite except to say that we value the core principles of the Civil Service. I have the highest respect for the civil servants whom I have had the enormous privilege of working with over the past six and a half years.
My Lords, should not the Bill—or any Bill coming in—require all people seeking appointment to the Civil Service to provide a reference from their former employer, prior to their being appointed?
My Lords, I suspect my noble friend is alluding to something about which I know absolutely nothing. The usual procedure when seeking an employee is to seek references. I have no idea whether the Civil Service has a different procedure, nor indeed should I as a Minister, but I have no doubt that the procedures followed by the Civil Service are exemplary.