As of March 2019, 295 public bodies were in operation across the UK government. Most public bodies within the United Kingdom are established and operated by the government, with varying levels of autonomy and ministerial responsibility according to their classification. Brexit means that many functions previously carried out by EU agencies will become the responsibility of existing UK bodies. A number of new public bodies are also being created to manage additional responsibilities after EU exit.
Documents to download
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Civil Service Recruitment: Heads of Departments (595 KB, PDF)
The Civil Service Commission and the Recruitment Principles
The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 requires selection for appointment to the Civil Service to be on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. The Civil Service Commission is required to publish Recruitment Principles which Departments and Agencies must apply for this purpose. The Act also allows the Commission to exempt some appointments from these requirements. The last major revision of the Recruitment Principles was in early 2014. The Commission intends to issue a slightly revised version of the principles to come into effect from the 2018/19 financial year.
The Appointment of Permanent Secretaries
The Government’s June 2012 Civil Service Reform Plan stated that Ministers should have a greater role in the appointment of Permanent Secretaries. In response, the Civil Service Commission published a note explaining the role of Ministers in Permanent Secretary appointments. It argued that giving Ministers a choice of candidates would not be compatible with the requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. However, in October 2014 the Civil Service Commission announced that from December 2014, the Prime Minister would be given a choice of appointable candidates for Head of Department Civil Service roles.
Extended Ministerial Offices
Following recommendations made in a June 2013 Institute for Public Policy Research report, the Government announced in July 2013 that Ministers would be able to establish Extended Ministerial Offices (EMOs). The IPPR’s 2013 report had recommended that Secretaries of State and Ministers who run Departments should be provided with an extended office of Ministerial staff that they could personally appoint and who would work on their behalf. However, the 2016 Ministerial Code removed the provisions for EMOs which led to their dismantling. Initial take up of the EMOs was low and the total number established during the period was five.
Documents to download
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Civil Service Recruitment: Heads of Departments (595 KB, PDF)
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This House of Commons Library Briefing Paper looks at the role and powers of the Privy Council.
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This paper provides a timeline of the major events leading up to the EU referendum and subsequent dates of note, including Brexit Day itself.
