Acknowledgements Forewords Introduction 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 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 7 - Recommendations Selections Careers Filling top posts Remunaration The rights and obligation of civil servants Accountability Appendix - Ministers and civil servants: a draft code Bibliography