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Politics UNIT 2-The core executive > EXTRA-Civil Service > Flashcards

EXTRA-Civil Service Flashcards

1
Q

What does the civil service comprise of?

A

all government departments and executive agencies in Great Britain and includes the Diplomatic Service

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2
Q

What year was the peak of the number of civil servants?

A

1976

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3
Q

In 1979 what was the peak number of civil servants?

A

750,000

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4
Q

By 1999 what had the number of civil servants fallen to?

A

460,000

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5
Q

Why by 1999 had the number of civil servants fallen to 460,000? (3)

A

due to

  • privatisation
  • outsourcing
  • cutbacks
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6
Q

How many civil servants were there in 2016?

A

420,000

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7
Q

What do the senior civil servants comprise of?

A

around 700-800 leading officials

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8
Q

How many civil servants were there in 2016 which were full time?

A

315,000

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9
Q

Who is the head of each department of the civil service?

A

a Permanent Secretary

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10
Q

How are civil servants recruited?

A

on merit since the middle of the 19th century

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11
Q

Who were usually those selected for the civil service?

A

those with first class degrees from older and more prestigious universities

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12
Q

In what decade did academics and commentators lament the civil services’ relevant training and skills with their narrow background?

A

1960s

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13
Q

Which 1968 report called for changes so that there might be a movement away from this ‘cult of amateur’?

A

the Fulton Report

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14
Q

What did the Fulton Report 1968 point out?

A

that there should be a movement away from this ‘cult of amateur’

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15
Q

Since the 1990’s what has there been done to the civil service to move away from the ‘cult of amateur’?

A

there have been more temporary secondments between commerce

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16
Q

Since the 1990’s what has there been a broadening basis of recruitment of? (3)

A
  • increased recruitment of non-oxbrudge universities
  • a movement away from the arts subjects
  • greater scope for women and members of ethnic minorities
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17
Q

What have various enquires into the ‘bias’ of the civli service suggested?

A

that it may not be a conscious preference for a certain type of character, more that younger people with those backgrounds tend to apply to join the civil service

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18
Q

What are 3 qualities of candidates from oxbridge when they perform well in interviews?

A
  • confidence
  • well spoken
  • plenty of savour faire
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19
Q

in 2016 what % of civil servants were from an ethnic minority background?

A

11.2%

20
Q

What % of civil servants were between 30-59?

A

80%+

21
Q

What are the 4 core roles of the higher civil service who work in Whitehall?

A
  • preparing legislation
  • administration
  • helping to develop the departments attitudes and work
  • policy implementation/management
22
Q

How do higher civil servants perform the role of preparing legislation?

A

they draw up answers to parliamentary questions

23
Q

How do the higher civil servants perform the role of administration?

A

they oversee and carry out the day to day work of the department

24
Q

What may be involved when the higher civil servants perform the role of administration when they oversee and carry out the day to day work of the department?

A

meeting up with representatives of pressure groups ro dealing with difficult, non routine practical problems

25
Q

Under who’s leadership did policy implementation of the higher civil service become increasingly important?

A

Thatcher and post Thatcher years

26
Q

What % of work does the Permanent Secretary direct and supervise?

A

85-90%

27
Q

What are the 3 doctrines of the higher civil service?

A
  • Impartiality
  • Permanence
  • Neutrality
28
Q

unlike the US what do the civl servants not do at election time?

A

they do not change

29
Q

What is the permanence of the civil service associated with?

A

experience and continuity

30
Q

What does permanence coupled with confidentiality mean for civil servants?

A

that they can speak frankly to ministers without fear of dismissal

31
Q

What could the permanence, which means ‘no change at the top’ mean?

A

that the civil service is stifled from fresh thinking and new initiatives

32
Q

What does it mean by neutrality?

A

officials are required to be politically impartial , not letting their personal political leanings affect their actions

33
Q

Why would it be difficult for the civli servants to remain in office?

A

if they were partisan

34
Q

What have some political observers claimed the British civil service to have become in the last decade of the 20th century?

A

increasingly politicised

35
Q

Why do some critics argue that neutrality puts it too strongly?

A

as civil servants are expected to further the policies of the elected government

36
Q

Who are special advisers?

A

these are advisers who are appointed to provide political advice, assessment and support to ministers, offering an alternative perspective to those provided by civil servants

37
Q

IN what 2 decades was there an increase of the number of special advisers?

A

1980’s and 1990’s

38
Q

Who did critics note the involvement of when appointing senior civil servants?

A

the ministers

39
Q

How is the PM supposed to appoint senior civil servants?

A

from a handful of shortlisted candidates purely on the basis of merit without political consideration

40
Q

Which PM exercised their powers of patronage to select senior civil servants who were efficient managers and who were sympathetic to the governments aims?

A

Margret Thatcher

41
Q

What is the role of civil servants under anonymity?

A

to offer confidential advice in secret

42
Q

What would be endangered if civil servants became public figures?

A

this would endanger their reputation for neutrality as they could be identified with a particular policy

43
Q

Other than being identified by the public with a particular policy, what might also prevent civil servants from offering frank advice to ministers?

A

if they knew they could be named

44
Q

What are 3 disadvantages of anonymity

A
  • conceal poor advice
  • give less incentive for officials to improve their effectiveness
  • shield them from consequences of any inadequacy
45
Q

How have civil servants become less anonymous?

A

they are more recognisable from investigatory reports and they appear before select committees of the HOC

46
Q

What are the 4 core values as defined by the 2006 new civil service code

A
  • integrity
  • honesty
  • objectivity
  • impartiality

Politics UNIT 2-The core executive (22 decks)

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