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Civil Service: Labour Turnover and Recruitment

Asked by Jim ShannonDemocratic Unionist PartyCabinet OfficeTabled Answered 1 July 2026UIN 12667

The question

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the level of recruitment and retention challenges in the civil service.

Answered by Satvir Kaur

On 20 January, the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister outlined his commitments to rewire Whitehall and modernize public services, with a specific focus on enhancing public sector productivity through rapid operational delivery and resolution.

A core element of this initiative is ensuring that innovation, frontline delivery and private sector skills and experience is valued equally alongside policy development, ensuring a strong institutional focus on delivery.

Assessments of turnover and time in post are made routinely on an annual basis on behalf of the Civil Service Government People Group (now the Future Civil Service).

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