Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Civil Service: Recruitment

Thursday 8 December 2022 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Michael Fabricant asked about increasing the number of senior civil servants recruited from the private sector.
  • The government responded by strengthening the policy of advertising senior civil service jobs externally.
  • The government aims to attract talent from the private sector at all levels, including middle-ranking and junior positions.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Michael Fabricant Con
Standards & Ethics
Context

No specific background provided, but it is about increasing the number of senior civil servants recruited from the private sector.

Question

Whether he is taking steps to increase the number of senior civil servants recruited from the private sector.

Answer from Jeremy Quin

We have strengthened the policy of advertising senior civil service jobs externally by default. To increase private sector recruitment and attract a broader range of applicants, new guidance will support Departments working with external search providers to identify new and experienced talent to join our excellent colleagues delivering for the country.

Answered
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Q2 Michael Fabricant Con
Context

The question follows up on steps taken to recruit senior civil servants and asks about expanding the initiative to middle-ranking and junior positions.

Question

But it is not just about senior civil servants. I think middle-ranking and junior civil servants could also benefit from a fresh influx of the dynamism and different attitudes that people from the private sector may enjoy, so why is my right hon. Friend not chasing those people for middle-ranking civil service positions too?

Answer from Jeremy Quin

My hon. Friend is always the very embodiment of dynamism. I absolutely agree: there is a huge amount of talent that we seek, and I am delighted to say that our focus is not just on the senior civil service. We wish to go and get the very best all the way through. Our apprenticeship schemes have been launched for the next three years, and we want to have 5% of the entire civil service formed of apprentices. That is yet another example of how we are reaching out to all starters to make certain that we get the very best talent.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not specify concrete steps for recruiting middle-ranking and junior positions from the private sector beyond mentioning apprenticeship schemes.

How: My Hon. Friend Is Always The Very Embodiment Of Dynamism.

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