CIVIL SERVICE BILL [DRAFT] 

KEY BENEFITS

• On 15 November the Government published a consultation paper setting out its proposals for Civil Service legislation.  Annexed to the paper is a draft Bill.
• The draft Bill does not set a limit on the numbers of Special Advisers.  It does, however, restrict the number of Special Advisers in No 10 with executive powers to 2.
• The draft Bill places the Prime Minister as Minister for the Civil Service under a statutory duty to publish a Civil Service Code and a Code of Conduct for Special Advisers. The draft Bill lays down the minimum content of both documents.  But the codes themselves would not be subject to Parliamentary approval.
• Deadline for responses to the consultation exercise is 28 February 2005.  The Government will then consider how to proceed in the light of responses.

TERRITORIAL EXTENT

• The Bill covers England, Scotland and  Wales

CONTACT:

If you have any comments on the proposals you can email them to:

draftscbill@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk