The Commissioners regulate Civil Service appointments and uphold the Civil Service values.
We contribute to the development of an effective and impartial Civil Service and support its core values by assuring that appointments into it are made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and by promoting the Civil Service Code and hearing appeals under it.
The core values are integrity, honesty, objectivity, impartiality and selection on merit. Everything the Commissioners do is directed toward upholding them.
We are, above all, members of the general public. We are recruited on merit following public advertisement and a fair and open selection competition. From our different careers and interests, we bring experience of the public, private and voluntary sectors. This, we believe, gives us insights into how the Civil Service can best serve the public and earn their confidence.
We operate alongside departments and agencies, the Cabinet Office and Ministers. But we are independent of them. We are appointed by Order in Council under the Royal Prerogative
The First Commissioner works three days a week and the other Commissioners two to eight days a month. We approve all appointments at the most senior levels. Departments must follow our Recruitment Code at all levels. We encourage the use of appropriate and innovative selection methods. Our collective knowledge of good practice outside the Civil Service is of particular value here.
We also have an important role in upholding the Service's standards of conduct and propriety. Under the Civil Service Code, a civil servant who believes he or she is being required to act improperly should report the matter within the employing department. But civil servants who believe the department’s response is not reasonable may report the matter to us.
In 2003, we were given further responsibilities to work with departments to promote the understanding of the Code by civil servants and to ensure its effective operation.
We try to be practical and approachable at all times and work in partnership with departments.
See Appendix A:
