Keir Starmer’s chief secretary, Darren Jones, announced plans to overhaul Whitehall by implementing risk-taking taskforces and allowing for the dismissal of underperforming senior civil servants.
Whitehall Overhaul Planned
Jones, the MP for Bristol North West, stated that civil servants should face “jeopardy” if they are not meeting expectations, noting that only seven out of 7,000 senior civil servants are currently on improvement plans.
The plans, outlined during a speech at the What3Words tech company in west London, aim to “rewire” Whitehall by reserving large bonuses for exceptional achievement and setting key performance indicators for senior officials. Those not meeting expectations would be dismissed, ending the practice of “sideways shimmies” to other departments.
Jones argued the British state is “broken” and requires a complete digital transformation, proposing the creation of small taskforces to address specific problems, with cabinet ministers bidding for additional support.
These units would adhere to the “two pizza” test – a startup theory suggesting any team larger than what can be fed by two pizzas is too unwieldy. Jones acknowledged that many civil servants are frustrated with bureaucracy and slow processes and are eager for change.
He highlighted childcare policy and the management of driving tests and licenses as areas needing improvement, while acknowledging previous governments’ unsuccessful attempts to increase Whitehall productivity.
Jones emphasized the need to inject more competition into the civil service and improve public experience with state services, questioning why online banking and shopping are more convenient than accessing public services.
The “sludge busting” effort will include contributions from Attorney General Richard Hermer and Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, who will focus on removing obstacles in legislation, regulations, and processes. The government intends to reduce the number of checks and consultations on new policies, citing an HMRC pilot program that reduced a 40-step process to two layers of approval.
During the event, Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union, questioned Jones on how the government would encourage risk-taking without exposing civil servants to blame when those risks fail. Jones responded that he is comfortable with a greater degree of risk to increase productivity.
Mike Clancy, general secretary of the Prospect union, stated that civil servants are willing to support changes “if these are done properly,” emphasizing the need to address pay and undervaluation of specialists in areas like science, data, and procurement.
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