Committees

The appointment and dismissal of permanent secretaries and other senior civil servants

Inquiry

Permanent secretaries are the most senior civil servants in each government department. As accounting officers, permanent secretaries are responsible for running the department day-to-day––including by managing the budget––and report to Parliament on these matters. They also provide support to the government minister in charge of the department, who is accountable to Parliament for the department’s performance and actions.

The inquiry will focus on the degree of ministerial involvement in the recruitment process for these positions and the extent to which ministers and prime ministers have become more involved in the dismissal of post-holders. In particular, it will consider whether an informal shift has taken place in the appointment and dismissal of permanent secretaries and other senior civil servants and if so, whether this indicates a desire on the part of ministers to appoint candidates more sympathetic to their views.

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was 5:00pm on 3 April 2023.

Upcoming events

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Past events

Tuesday 18 July 2023
1:00pm Private
1:15pm Public
The appointment and dismissal of permanent secretaries and other senior civil servants - Oral evidence 18 July 2023
1:15pm
  • Rt Hon Jeremy Quin (Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office at Cabinet Office)
  • Simon Case (Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service at Cabinet Office)
Room 2, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 7 June 2023
10:00am Private
10:15am Public
The appointment and dismissal of permanent secretaries and other senior civil servants - Oral evidence 7 June 2023
10:15am
  • The Rt Hon. the Lord Maude of Horsham
Room 2, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 3 May 2023
10:00am Private
10:15am Public
The appointment and dismissal of permanent secretaries and other senior civil servants - Oral evidence 3 May 2023
10:15am
  • The Rt Hon. the Baroness Stuart of Edgbaston (First Civil Service Commissioner at Civil Service Commission)
Room 4, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 26 April 2023
10:00am Private
10:15am Public
The appointment and dismissal of permanent secretaries and other senior civil servants - Oral evidence 26 April 2023
10:15am
  • The Lord Macpherson of Earl's Court GCB (Permanent Secretary, 2005–16 at HM Treasury)
  • The Rt Hon. the Baroness Prashar CBE (First Civil Service Commissioner, 2000–05 at Civil Service Commission)
  • The Lord Sedwill GCMG (Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Home Civil Service, 2018–20 at Cabinet Office, and Permanent Secretary, 2013–17 at Home Office)
Room 3, Palace of Westminster

Contact us

  • Email: constitution@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 3871 (committee staff) | 020 7219 8286 (Press Officer)
  • Address: Constitution Committee, House of Lords, London SW1A 0PW