Reviewing our assessment

DO NOWUse the statement cards to complete the table listing the key functions of ministers and civil servants. What tensions could arise between ministers and civil servants as a result of their differences in role and responsibilities?

Ministers Civil servants

Temporary, political appointees Permanent, non-partisan appointees

Set the political agenda Gather information for policy-making

Determine priorities for action Provide alternative courses of action

Decode between political alternatives Advise on the consequences of decisions

Obtain Cabinet and PM approval for policies Draft legislation

Steer proposals through Parliament Provide briefings to MPs and other ministers

Be accountable to Parliament/PM for policies Advise on implementation of policies

Be accountable to Parliament/PM for the general performance of their dept.

Organise the implementation of policies

Draft answers to Parliamentary questions

Are rarely publicly accountable

Learning objectives

• To review the output of our in-class assessment

• To learn more effective examination strategies• To deepen our understanding of the role of

the civil service

How is the civil service changing?

• John Manzoni (right) became the first ever chief executive of the civil service on Monday.

• His primary job is to “get a better deal for taxpayers” from public services.

• He spent more than 30 years in the private sector, only joining government in February.

• What do these facts suggest about how the Coalition Government views the civil service?

The Core Executive

Read the extract above and answer the following questions:

• Explain the term senior civil servants used in the extract. (5)• Using your own knowledge as well as the extract, explain why it is not surprising that ‘the civil

servants sometimes appear cautious’. (10)• Evaluate the factors that can give the prime minister power over other cabinet members. (25)

Civil servants and ministersThe private office of a minister consists of a private secretary and up to three assistant secretaries. It acts as a link between the ministers and their departments and organises most of their working day – listening in on telephone calls, fixing appointments and briefing them. The office sifts the papers coming into the department and decides which papers and delegations the minister should see. A decision to refer a matter to a minister depends on its sensitivity, demands on resources, need for political judgement, and uncertainty about the minister’s reactions. An essential part of the policy-making role of senior civil servants is to know a minister’s mind. These civil servants spend perhaps a fifth of their time on work relating to Parliament: for example, preparing for parliamentary questions, drawing up legislation, drafting speeches and handling the correspondence with MPs. It is not surprising, therefore, that the civil servants sometimes appear cautious.

Source: adapted from D. Kavanagh, British Politics: Continuities and Change (OUP: 2000)

Civil servants and ministersThe private office of a minister consists of a private secretary and up to three assistant secretaries. It acts as a link between the ministers and their departments and organises most of their working day – listening in on telephone calls, fixing appointments and briefing them. The office sifts the papers coming into the department and decides which papers and delegations the minister should see. A decision to refer a matter to a minister depends on its sensitivity, demands on resources, need for political judgement, and uncertainty about the minister’s reactions. An essential part of the policy-making role of senior civil servants is to know a minister’s mind. These civil servants spend perhaps a fifth of their time on work relating to Parliament: for example, preparing for parliamentary questions, drawing up legislation, drafting speeches and handling the correspondence with MPs. It is not surprising, therefore, that the civil servants sometimes appear cautious.

Source: adapted from D. Kavanagh, British Politics: Continuities and Change (OUP: 2000)

Explain the term senior civil servants used in the extract. (5)

• Weaker responses tended to discuss civil servants in general rather than senior civil servants. Many used the term ‘mandarin’, although further reference to the issues associated with the role might have enhanced their answers.

• Many drew the contrast between civil servants and special advisers (SPADs). Stronger answers gave details of the specific roles that senior civil servants undertake and many offered examples such as Jeremy Heywood or Gus O’Donnell.

Explain the term senior civil servants used in the extract. (5)

Senior civil servants, such as private or permanent secretaries, act as a link between the minister and his or her department. Crucially, senior civil servants control the flow of information to a minister on issues related to their department. A figure like Jeremy Heywood, Chief Secretary to the Cabinet Office, plays a critical role in supporting the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, briefing them on major issues of the day for Cabinet meetings, diplomatic summits, appearances in Parliament, press conferences, etc.

Using your own knowledge as well as the extract, explain why it is not surprising that ‘the civil servants sometimes appear cautious’. (10)

• There was much in the extract to assist in answering this question. The question proved an excellent discriminator, in testing students’ ability to use this material and relate it to their own knowledge. The concepts of neutrality and permanence were often raised.

• Stronger responses related these concepts to the need not to be seen to be overtly political or to experience making civil servants more wary of radical policies. The strongest answers examined developments in individual ministerial responsibility noting that, in the event of ministerial embarrassment, anonymity was being eroded and civil servants, rather than ministers, were increasingly made accountable for their actions. Some excellent examples were provided.

Using your own knowledge as well as the extract, explain why it is not surprising that ‘the civil servants sometimes appear cautious’. (10)

Civil servants ‘may sometimes appear cautious’ for reasons related both to the scope and sensitivity of their responsibilities and to the nature of their positions relative to ministers. Civil servants are under constant pressure as they are the critical source of almost all information a minister receives regarding the operations of his or her department. Whether preparing a minister for questions in the House or for a major policy announcement, civil servants must provide accurate information and sensible advice regarding major issues. This will inevitably cause them to adopt a cautious stance toward briefings.Civil servants may also be cautious because of the permanence of their positions and their obligation to remain neutral. A civil servant’s responsibility is to promote the efficient long-term running of a department (although an increasing number of civil servants are appointed on fixed-term contracts). Civil servants’ responsibilities may run into conflict with a minister’s short-term party political objectives. This tension has increased with the appointment by ministers of ‘special advisers’, political appointees who have taken civil service roles. A clear example is that of Alistair Campbell, Tony Blair’s director of communications, who not only took a high-profile political role but was empowered to give orders to civil servants. In recent years, senior civil servants have also been subject to increasing public scrutiny for their running of departments and agencies. For example, Brodie Clark, head of the UK Borders Agency, was dismissed and the agency itself dismantled by Theresa May, following revelations that security at ports and airports had been undermined. Clark argued that he had been made a political scapegoat, but this did not save his job. This has undermined the traditional anonymity that surrounded the so-called ‘Whitehall Mandarin’.

Evaluate the factors that can give the prime minister power over other cabinet members. (25)

• There was a clear effort on the part of many students to address the focus of the question as being on prime ministerial power over the Cabinet and not just power in general terms.

• Features included variously (1) the ability to hire and fire, (2) the use of bilateral meetings, (3) control of the cabinet agenda, (4) support of various Number 10 policy units, (5) use of the Cabinet Office and Cabinet Secretary, (6) the opportunity to act internationally, (7) media management, and (8) the idea of a personal mandate from the electorate.

• Weaker answers tended to focus almost exclusively on the ability to hire and fire Cabinet members, with little mention of the limitations on this power or the different sources available to the PM.

• Stronger answers argued that the factors that can offer the prime ministerial power do not always do so. To illustrate this they were able to give examples of strong prime ministers who used their resources effectively and weak ones who failed to do so, with Thatcher and Blair most frequently being offered as examples of the former and Major and Brown of the latter.

• Some answers stressed how the British cabinet contains potential rivals and drew a contrast with the position of the US president.

STUDENT RESOURCES

25 mark questions

L420-25

Explicit and sustained evaluation of the practical extent of prime ministerial power under a variety of circumstances, e.g. In some circumstances, prime ministers have been unable in practice to exercise power that was theoretically his/hers as a function of their office.

L313-19

More detailed discussion about the nature of and limits to prime ministers’ powers over Cabinet members, e.g. reliance on Cabinet office and ‘special advisors’ can cause irritation and result in an erosion of trust.

L27-12

More detailed discussion about sources of prime ministerial power with specific reference to Cabinet members, e.g. (s)he can convene partial Cabinets or govern through the use of a ‘kitchen Cabinet’

L11-6

Simple statements about prime ministerial power, e.g. (s)he has the ability to appoint and dismiss government ministers.

10 mark questions

L49-10

The student demonstrates an excellent knowledge and understanding of political concepts, theories, institutions and processes to address fully the requirements of the question.

L36-8

The student demonstrates a good knowledge and understanding of political concepts, theories, institutions and processes to address the requirements of the question.

L23-6

The student demonstrates a limited knowledge and understanding of political concepts, theories, institutions and processes in order to make a limited attempt to address the requirements of the question.

L11-3

The student demonstrates little knowledge and understanding of political concepts, theories, institutions and processes and makes little attempt to address the requirements of the question.

5 mark questions

Level 4 (5 marks) The student successfully demonstrates excellent knowledge and understanding of political data, concept(s) or term(s). Where appropriate, the student is able to illustrate his/her answer with relevant evidence/example(s). Level 3 (4 marks) The student successfully demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of political data, concept(s) or term(s). Where appropriate, the student is able to illustrate his/her answer with relevant evidence/example(s).

Level 2 (2–3 marks) The student demonstrates limited knowledge and understanding of political data, concept(s) or term(s). The student may illustrate his/her answer with evidence/example(s) of limited relevance. Level 1 (1 mark) The student demonstrates little knowledge and understanding of political data, concept(s) or term(s). The student may illustrate his/her answer with evidence or examples of little relevance.

Constitutional Monarchy Liberal Democracy Parliamentary Sovereignty

A form of government in which the monarch retains considerable power, but also requires the support of parliament.

A form of democracy based on regular elections and representative institutions. It lays great stress on individual freedom and a limited role for government.

A state in which Parliament has the ultimate power to make, amend or repeal laws, including to create or abolish any local or devolved body.

The Executive The rule of law Mandate

This branch of government consists of PM, Cabinet, ministers, civil service and partly local government.

The principle that everyone, including the government, is accountable to the same legal standards.

The approval and authority given by the electorate to the policies contained in the manifesto of the party elected to office.

State Authority The Government

The political association that exercises sovereign power over groups and individuals via permanent institutions within a defined territory.

Power derived from the consent of the governed.

The body of persons authorised to administer the law, to rule, and to control the state.

Coalition Manifesto Legislature

Where we are in the courseUnit 2: Governing Modern Britain

Topic 1: The ConstitutionTopic 2: ParliamentTopic 3: The Core ExecutiveTopic 4: Multi-level Governance