Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Acknowledged
New centralised applicant-tracking system launched to improve public appointments data collection.
Conclusion
In April 2023, the Cabinet Office launched a new, centralised applicant-tracking system that consolidates the selection process for all regulated public appointments and some unregulated appointments. The centralised system makes it possible for the Cabinet Office to collect richer, real-time data on the appointments. The recruiting department is expected to manage the entire process through the applicant-tracking system and the system will keep detailed records of each step of the process. This should allow both the appointing body and the Cabinet Office to have a better idea of how long campaigns take and where the bottlenecks are, and to notify ministers of delays, where or when candidates might drop out, and which campaigns fail to fill the required posts.15
Government Response Summary
The government aims to have all regulated appointments being run through the new applicant tracking system by Summer 2025, with technical changes to the digital platform to allow further integration of data.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
2a. PAC recommendation: In response to this report, the Cabinet Office should: • confirm in the Treasury Minute that all regulated appointments are now being run through the new applicant tracking system and what steps it is taking where departments do not comply. 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2025 2.2 The government agrees with the Committee that the digital platform should be the primary mechanism through which departments manage their regulated appointments. 2.3 The Cabinet Office will look to make appropriate and possibly technical changes to the digital platform to allow further integration of data by the end of summer 2025. 2.4 The vast majority of regulated appointments are already being run through the applicant tracking system. There is currently a small number of campaigns run by executive search agencies that are advertised on the digital platform, but for historical, technical and commercial reasons, applicants are directed to the agencies to apply via their existing systems. Steps are being taken to improve data capture from such campaigns with a technical change to the service. In addition, for organisational and scale reasons, appointments to the Independent Monitoring Boards (under the purview of the Ministry of Justice) are currently run through a separate system. The Cabinet Office will continue to explore technical solutions to allow the processes and data from this small number of exceptions to be included within the applicant tracking system so that the data it holds on regulated appointments is as comprehensive as possible. 2.5 The Cabinet Office has also been working with departments across Whitehall to build capacity within their public appointment teams and to train staff in the effective use of the digital platform. Central to this activity is the requirement that the digital platform will be the default processing tool for effectively managing regulated appointments. The Cabinet Office will continue to work closely with departments to ensure appropriate capacity and skills are in place and to monitor and support performance at the departmental level.