Monday 25 June 2007

Disentangling Scotland

The Civil Service Commissioners (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 provides a blueprint for the separate Scottish Civil Service that is being sought by the Scottish Government.

The Order, signed by Secretary of State Mowlam, provides for an independent civil service in which: '... no appointment shall be made to any situation in the Senior Civil Service, or to any situation prescribed by General Regulations or by directions for the purposes of this Article by the Commissioners with the approval of the Secretary of State, without the written approval of the Commissioners, whose decision shall be final.' In northern Ireland the civil service answers to its own Civil Service Commissioners.

The Scottish executive (that is the civil service working for the Scottish Executive which is the Government of Scotland) answers ultimately to the United Kingdom civil service and its hierarchies. As do those civil servants working in Scotland but for UK home civil service departments, such as Defence.

The prime minister of Scotland, First Minister Salmond, requires an end to all that and a proper Home Civil Service for Scotland, answering to its own Commissioners.

No comments: