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 Monday 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
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
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
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
Room 3, Palace of Westminster

Contact us

  • Email: constitution@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 5960 (committee staff) | 020 7219 8286 (Press Officer)
  • Address: Constitution Committee, House of Lords, London SW1A 0PW