The British Civil Service
Current Issues and Future Challenges
1st Edition
Published on 28. May 2025
Book
Hardback
232 pages
978-1-5292-3491-6 (ISBN)
Description
Taking account of its evolution in recent decades, this book provides an up-to-date account of the role of the Civil Service in the UK.
The book offers a much-needed re-examination of the function and role of the Civil Service and considers the ways in which it has changed in response to today's pressures. It examines the changing relationships between ministers, civil servants and special advisers (spADs), as well as investigating challenges to the principles of the Civil Service such as service outsourcing, COVID-19 responses and Brexit.
Asking whether the practices of the past are effective for the future, this book is a vital resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students of UK politics, public administration and public sector management.
The book offers a much-needed re-examination of the function and role of the Civil Service and considers the ways in which it has changed in response to today's pressures. It examines the changing relationships between ministers, civil servants and special advisers (spADs), as well as investigating challenges to the principles of the Civil Service such as service outsourcing, COVID-19 responses and Brexit.
Asking whether the practices of the past are effective for the future, this book is a vital resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students of UK politics, public administration and public sector management.
More details
Edition
First Edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Bristol
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
Not illustrated
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
503 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5292-3491-6 (9781529234916)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
05/2025
1st Edition
Bristol University Press
€39.50
Shipment within 3-4 weeks
E-Book
05/2025
1st Edition
Bristol University Press
€38.99
Available for download
Person
Janice Morphet is a Visiting Professor at University College London. She has over fifty years of experience in local and central government as well as academia and has written and researched about Brexit, Covid, outsourcing, devolution and public services.
Content
1 Introduction: What is the Civil Service For?
Introduction
The role of the civil service: an international context
The civil service in the UK
Conclusions
2 What Kind of Civil Service Do We Have? The Structure of the Home Civil Service in England
Introduction
How many civil servants?
Tripartite structure of the civil service
Issues for the civil service as an employer
3 How Does the Civil Service Develop Policy?
Introduction
What is policy?
What stimulates policy development?
Who makes policy - ministers or civil servants?
How are policies constructed?
Conclusions
4 How Does the Civil Service Administer Policy?
Introduction
The context for the administration of policy
Administration vs implementation and delivery
Issues to be considered when designing the administration of policy
Determining the mechanism for delivery
Agents of delivery
5 Relationships with Ministers
Introduction
The view of civil servants by ministers
The view of ministers by civil servants
Has the civil service become more politicised?
Unwelcome intermediaries
Events
6 Devolution and the Role of Civil Service in the Union
Introduction
What is the case for devolution of decision making?
Relationships between Whitehall, Scotland and Wales before 1999
Policy differentiation after the Devolution Settlement 1999- 2010
Recentralising the state and muscular unionism after 2010
Civil servants in the DAs
Devolution in England
The future role of the civil service in drawing together the Union
Conclusions
7 Policy Formation after Brexit
Introduction
The role of the EU in shaping UK domestic policy 1972- 2020
International sources of UK government policy post- Brexit
What was the role of the civil service in developing policy and administration when the UK was in the EU?
The challenges after Brexit
What are the policy implementation challenges post- Brexit?
Conclusions
8 Civil Service: Weaknesses and Failures
Introduction
The context for decision making
What is the role of civil service in the failure to successfully administer government policy?
Corruption
Conclusions
9 How Does the Civil Service Survive Change? The Persistence of Power
Introduction
The Westminster Model
Multiple Government reforms but no change?
The UK civil service as a persistent political elite
Methods of maintaining power: operating the Core Executive
Methods of maintaining power: recruitment and promotion
Maintaining power: creating a lattice of leverage
Managing ministers
Managing outside Whitehall
10 The Civil Service - Forwards or Back?
What is the need for change?
Can the WM accommodate devolution?
Can the WM accommodate SpADs?
What will be the long- term consequences for the civil service of Brexit?
How can the civil service be focused on administration within the contractual state?
What are the possible tools for change?
Civil servants accepting the need for change in the civil service
Introduction
The role of the civil service: an international context
The civil service in the UK
Conclusions
2 What Kind of Civil Service Do We Have? The Structure of the Home Civil Service in England
Introduction
How many civil servants?
Tripartite structure of the civil service
Issues for the civil service as an employer
3 How Does the Civil Service Develop Policy?
Introduction
What is policy?
What stimulates policy development?
Who makes policy - ministers or civil servants?
How are policies constructed?
Conclusions
4 How Does the Civil Service Administer Policy?
Introduction
The context for the administration of policy
Administration vs implementation and delivery
Issues to be considered when designing the administration of policy
Determining the mechanism for delivery
Agents of delivery
5 Relationships with Ministers
Introduction
The view of civil servants by ministers
The view of ministers by civil servants
Has the civil service become more politicised?
Unwelcome intermediaries
Events
6 Devolution and the Role of Civil Service in the Union
Introduction
What is the case for devolution of decision making?
Relationships between Whitehall, Scotland and Wales before 1999
Policy differentiation after the Devolution Settlement 1999- 2010
Recentralising the state and muscular unionism after 2010
Civil servants in the DAs
Devolution in England
The future role of the civil service in drawing together the Union
Conclusions
7 Policy Formation after Brexit
Introduction
The role of the EU in shaping UK domestic policy 1972- 2020
International sources of UK government policy post- Brexit
What was the role of the civil service in developing policy and administration when the UK was in the EU?
The challenges after Brexit
What are the policy implementation challenges post- Brexit?
Conclusions
8 Civil Service: Weaknesses and Failures
Introduction
The context for decision making
What is the role of civil service in the failure to successfully administer government policy?
Corruption
Conclusions
9 How Does the Civil Service Survive Change? The Persistence of Power
Introduction
The Westminster Model
Multiple Government reforms but no change?
The UK civil service as a persistent political elite
Methods of maintaining power: operating the Core Executive
Methods of maintaining power: recruitment and promotion
Maintaining power: creating a lattice of leverage
Managing ministers
Managing outside Whitehall
10 The Civil Service - Forwards or Back?
What is the need for change?
Can the WM accommodate devolution?
Can the WM accommodate SpADs?
What will be the long- term consequences for the civil service of Brexit?
How can the civil service be focused on administration within the contractual state?
What are the possible tools for change?
Civil servants accepting the need for change in the civil service