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Civil Servants: Recruitment

Asked by Mr Richard HoldenConservativeCabinet OfficeTabled Answered 2 April 2025UIN 41123

The question

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to issue new guidance on the proportion of the civil service jobs advertised to the public.

Answered by Georgia Gould

In May 2022 the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster wrote to cabinet ministers outlining all Senior Civil Service (SCS) jobs must be advertised externally to the public unless an exemption is approved. This continues to be the policy.

As under the previous Government, for appointments below SCS level, departments have the authority to determine how they recruit in line with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. Again, this continues to be the policy.

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