Civil Service System of Great Britain

The new system of the British Civil Service was established in 1854 as a result of the Northcote-Trevelyan report. The system was designed to allow for a flexible deployment of staff so that the talent can be used to the best advantage. It has produced a service of great excellence. The British Civil Service has a very high reputation. It contains some of the best brains in the country. Entry to the Civil Service is based on the principle of selection on merit by fair and open competition and controlled by the Civil Service Commission. To become a civil servant it is necessary to pass a number of tests, designed to measure their competence and suitability. The Civil Service Commissioners are responsible for approving the selection of people for appointment to the higher levels and fast-streams of the Home Civil Service and the Diplomatic Service and are answerable to the Queen, and not to the Prime Minister. Civil Servants are servants of the Crown. They are responsible to the minister in whose department they work. Genuine loyalty to the minister in office is the first element in the professionalism of any civil servant; skill is the second. Recruitment of middle ranking and junior staff is the responsibility of departments and executive agencies but their works are monitored by the Commissioners. Although work requiring specialist skill is always done by appropriately qualified individuals, personnel management policies are designed to ensure that people with the necessary qualities gain suitable wide experience to fit then to higher posts. There are nearly 570,000 civil servants in Britain employed in various departments. At the top levels of the Civil Service there is an open and unified structure, comprising three grades: permanent secretary, deputy secretary and undersecretary. At other levels the structure is based on a system of categories and occupational groups. Контрольные вопросы по теме «Государственная служба Великобритании»»: 1. When was the new system of government established in Great Britain?

2. What reputation does the Civil Service system have?

3. What principles is entry to the Civil Service based on?

4. What Commission controls entry to the Civil Service?

5. What tests is it necessary to pass to become a civil servant?

6. What minister are civil servants responsible to?

7. Who is considered to be a servant of the Crown?

8. How many civil servants are there in Britain?