Civil Service Commissioners (UK)

The Civil Service Commission regulates recruitment to the United Kingdom Civil Service, providing assurance that appointments are on merit after fair and open competition, and hears appeals under the Civil Service Code. The Commission is independent of Government and the Civil Service.

The Civil Service Commission was established by Gladstone through an order in council on 21 May 1855 following publication of the Northcote–Trevelyan Report by Charles Trevelyan and Stafford Northcote that advocated the decoupling of appointments of senior civil servants from ministers to insure the impartiality of the Civil Service.

Following a report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, "Defining the Boundaries within the Executive: Ministers, special advisers and the permanent Civil Service" in 2003, the appointment of the First Civil Service Commissioner is made by Government after consultation with the leaders of the main opposition parties. They are then appointed by the Queen under Royal Prerogative. The First Civil Service Commissioner is appointed for a fixed term of five years, although another Commissioner may act as an interim First Commissioner when necessary.

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