In a significant shift aimed at modernizing the civil service, the UK government plans to establish a new “school of government” dedicated to training senior civil servants in artificial intelligence and other essential skills. This announcement, set to be made by Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, comes more than a decade after the closure of the previous national school of government by then-Prime Minister David Cameron.
The new institution, which will be unveiled in a speech on Tuesday, aims to “rewire” the civil service to better equip it for contemporary challenges. Jones has expressed a strong commitment to “work with the civil service to change the system, promote innovation and build in-house state capacity to get things done.” The initiative is expected to enhance training in areas including economics, finance, policy, leadership, management, commercial skills, AI, data, digital technologies, as well as programme and project management.
Set to launch later this year, the school will gradually build to full capacity over the next three years. Jones emphasized that by providing high-quality training for public servants, the School for Government and Public Services will help achieve the government’s ambition for a “world-class professional civil service.” He has also highlighted the importance of supporting civil servants as the use of AI expands within the public sector.
In the context of his impending speech, Jones has outlined broader plans to improve government efficiency, including a promise to significantly reduce spending on external consultants and departmental administration costs by 16% over the next five years. This is projected to yield savings of £2 billion annually by 2030. Furthermore, he hinted at potential changes to civil service performance-related pay and suggested that some civil servants may face dismissal if they do not meet established standards.
The establishment of this new training body comes in the wake of criticisms about the inadequacies of previous training programs. The original Civil Service College was closed in 1995, and its successor, the National School of Government, was shut down under Cameron, who, alongside efficiency chief Francis Maude, believed that civil servants were hindering enterprise. This led to the introduction of a national civil service learning program that lacked the dedicated facilities of its predecessors.
Current Prime Minister Keir Starmer has launched his own efficiency drive, with a pointed critique of Whitehall’s entrenched practices. Recently, Wes Streeting, the health secretary, condemned the center-left for fostering an “excuses culture” that impedes the UK’s progress. In contrast, Jones, speaking at the Institute for Government conference, clarified that the reform efforts are intended to enhance the system itself rather than critique civil servants.
He noted, “Civil servants are as frustrated as us … but over the years we have ended up with a system that does not enable them to do their work in the same way that politicians might want it to be.” According to Jones, the civil service has become bloated over time, with excessive internal discussions slowing down essential decision-making processes. He asserted, “I’m not going to criticize civil servants … ultimately it is for ministers to reshape that in the way that they want to.”
This initiative reflects a growing recognition of the need for a more agile and responsive civil service, particularly in an era where digital transformation and AI are becoming increasingly critical. As the government forges ahead with its plans, the effective training and development of civil servants will be pivotal in facilitating a more efficient and innovative public sector capable of addressing the complex challenges of modern governance.
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