- 1. Background. - The civil service pre-Thatcher. - Critiques. - The civil service and Mrs Thatcher. - Table one: Civil Service staff in post. - Table Two: resignations. - Civil service reactions. - Cumulative effects. - 2. Recruiting and selecting senior officials. - Oxbridge and streaming. - Competences, careers and top jobs. - Training. - Careers and career management. - Succession planning. - Equal opportunities? - The management of people. - Experience outside whitehall. - Choosing top people. - The people chosen. - Conclusion. - 3. Centre and periphery. - Introduction. - Divisions between agencies and departments. - The future of careers. - Implementing oughton. - Expense and delay. - Demotivation. - Political influence. - Careers and competencies. - Continuity, organizational values, the `civil service ethos'. - Advertisements and appointments. - Mid-career movement. - Tenure. - Maintaining motivation. - Enabling insiders to compete. - Pay. - Managing departures. - 4. Ministers and civil servants: appointments. - Promiscuity and permanence. - Ministers and appointments. - Established practice. - A new approach? Mr Waldegrave and Sir Peter Kemp. - A new approach? Mr Clarke, Mr Pilling and Mr Lewis. - A german model. - The role of parliament. - 5. Ministers and civil servants: working relationships. - Top jobs and politics. - A flawed relationship. - The role of the cabinet secretary. - Authority and accountability. - The case of codification - A civil service law? - Accountability and agencies. - 6. Conclusion.