Is The Iom Civil Service Politicised?

[Albert Tatlock]

From iomonline "Civil Service 'politicised' claims - CLAIMS the civil service has become more 'politicised' will be made in Tynwald on Tuesday."

[manxman8180]

At the end of the day, MHK's and ,therefore, Ministers, come and go. The civil servants tend to hang around.

 

I would say that the vast majority of Government policy is proposed and worked on by civil servants, who then seek the ratification of the then Minister.

 

Bearing in mind that on the whole the average MHK / Minister will have far less understanding of the subject than your typical senior Civil Servant.

[Albert Tatlock]

At the end of the day, MHK's and ,therefore, Ministers, come and go. The civil servants tend to hang around.

 

I would say that the vast majority of Government policy is proposed and worked on by civil servants, who then seek the ratification of the then Minister.

 

Bearing in mind that on the whole the average MHK / Minister will have far less understanding of the subject than your typical senior Civil Servant.

That neatly describes their job function.

 

However, IMHO, an example of politicisation might (or might not) include the recent pro-speed limit campaign, with civil servant(s) openly arguing for a speed limit at the same time (or at least immediately before) the current government consultation.

 

This campaign has apparently now been withdrawn on the advice of the Communications Commission as it was seen to not reflect a balanced view and had apparently breached advertising standards (though the consultation in its current format has not been withdrawn).

 

The Government Code is available on the Government website.

 

Please do not see this as an 'anti-limit post', it is intended to stimulate debate about the general consultation process and the amount of involvement of civil servants in such matters - particularly at times when a sensitive political decision, the remit of elected representatives, may need to be taken.

[manxchatterbox]

"However, IMHO, an example of politicisation might include the recent pro-speed limit campaign, with civil servant(s) openly arguing for a speed limit at the same time (or at least immediately before) the current government consultation".

 

WELL SAID....

[manxman8180]

However, IMHO, an example of politicisation might (or might not) include the recent pro-speed limit campaign, with civil servant(s) openly arguing for a speed limit at the same time (or at least immediately before) the current government consultation.

I think you are probably quite right. But the only difference with this bit of proposed legislation is that it has been offered with a public consultation attached.

 

Under normal circumstances, the Civil Servants would draft the proposed legislation and supply the Minister with the reasoning. Then a decision would be made. The Civil Servants may even carry out some PR work in publicising the proposed legislation (often as a taster, to warm people for the introduction). We have seen this with the pending Employment legislation.

 

The only difference in this case is that it is seen as a hot potato and the Minister hasn't the balls to make the decision on their own. Hence the consultation.

 

So IMHO, it's not the process adopted by the Civil Servants, that has made any difference to this porposal, but the fact that such a mass public consultation has been involved.