Ministers Urged to Take Power Back From Civil Service, Courts, Experts

Policy Exchange has advised politicians to reduce the size of the senior civil service and reverse the trend of delegating power to experts and quangos. In a report released by the Policy Exchange think tank, ministers are encouraged to resist pressure to formalize the civil service, cut the senior civil service by up to 40%, increase pay for remaining staff, and hire more special advisers. The report also suggests amending the Civil Service Code to minimize judicial reviews and decrease reliance on experts and quangos. The authors argue that giving away power hinders ministerial accountability for decisions, leading to a disconnect between decisions and influence. They also highlight the risks of transferring responsibilities to experts without considering broader impacts, which has contributed to voter disillusionment with politics. The report emphasizes the importance of politicians reclaiming authority and warns against further decentralizing power. It presents 36 recommendations, particularly relevant as the government faces unprecedented challenges. The report suggests changes to the Civil Service Code, including clarifying officials’ duty to find alternative ways to achieve policy objectives and ensuring compliance with UK law. The report also addresses the need to reduce the size of the senior civil service, increase salaries for senior officials, and enhance ministerial flexibility in appointing civil servants. Additionally, it discusses the impact of arm’s length bodies, watchdogs, and regulators on policymaking and the role of the courts in overseeing government actions. Former Cabinet minister Michael Gove and former Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy endorse the report’s recommendations, emphasizing the importance of political accountability in decision-making processes. Gove applauds the report for challenging the notion that certain aspects of public life should be insulated from political oversight. Please provide me with a revised version of the text.

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