Cabinet Secretary to be questioned on the future of the Civil Service
The Cabinet Secretary, Sir Chris Wormald, will be questioned by MPs on the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) at 2.30pm today.
This will be Sir Chris’ first appearance in front of MPs since his appointment by the Prime Minister in December last year.
The Cabinet Secretary is the UK’s most senior civil servant and is responsible for ensuring the effective running of Government. The session will be an opportunity to ask him about his priorities as Head of the Civil Service.
Amid an extremely significant Spending Review process, members of the Committee may choose to ask about how Sir Chris is managing the Government’s plan to push for 5% savings across its departments.
Meeting details
The Committee is likely to ask how the Cabinet Secretary will balance his responsibilities to the Cabinet and the Civil Service. In 2023, Lord Maude wrote that the Government is unlikely to find an individual with the skill set to deliver both roles.
Other topics which may be examined include the delivery of the Government’s five key missions and the recruitment process for his role.