Recommendation 3

We were told that ministers were not sufficiently aware of the extent of their influence over appointments, or the limits on it. It is incumbent upon permanent secretaries to brief incoming ministers on the degree to which they can be involved in the appointment of senior civil servants, and to repeat this briefing and clarify the extent to which the minister wishes to be involved when a relevant vacancy arises. This will help to avoid tension during the recruitment process and reinforce ministerial ownership of the process and the quality of those appointed.