CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY

Issue 22, February 2020 Subscribe for free here: quarterly.blog.gov.uk #CSQuarterly

THE CSQ INTERVIEW – WITH CABINET SECRETARY AND HEAD OF THE CIVIL SERVICE SIR MARK SEDWILL TEN YEARS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS – GENERATING INNOVATION IN SOCIAL POLICY CONTENTS EDITORIAL

brought about by advances in THE CSQ INTERVIEW: 4 science, technology and data. SIR MARK SEDWILL Cabinet Secretary and Honouring Lord Heywood’s original Head of the Civil Service conception, this edition of CSQ features a familiar breadth of BECOMING A ‘POLICY MASTER’ 10 subject matter, showing policy Della McVay, Deputy Director becoming practice. In each case, for External Affairs and it offers an examination of how Partnerships, Universal government is addressing a specific Credit Programme, DWP policy-related challenge, while adapting to rapid political, cultural 10 YEARS OF THE NATIONAL 12 and technological change in the SECURITY COUNCIL world at large. Darragh McElroy, Deputy This issue opens with a new Director, National Security in‑depth interview with Cabinet Communications Secretary and Head of the Civil elcome to this, the 22nd Service Mark Sedwill. Now in edition of Civil Service FIGHTING FRAUD AT 18 W post for over a year, he offers his Quarterly, which is also my HOME AND ABROAD reflections on his combined role last as chair of the CSQ Mark Cheeseman, and, as Brexit is delivered, he sets Editorial Board. Deputy Director, out the immediate and long-term Counter Fraud Centre of Regular readers will recall that challenges he sees for the service Expertise, Cabinet Office Civil Service Quarterly was the and the way it works. brainchild of the late Jeremy, As Darragh McElroy notes, the THE POWER OF 24 Lord Heywood. His vision was first responsibility of every PARTNERSHIPS: DRIVING of a publication that not only government is often seen to be INNOVATION AND TACKLING showcased the very best of Civil the security of the country and POLICY CHALLENGES Service policy-making and analysis, the safety of its citizens. It was Shevaun Haviland, and shared its innovations, but only ten years ago that a single, Deputy Director, Business opened it up to challenge and new high-powered, central body was Partnerships Team, ideas. In October 2014, having given the authority to co-ordinate Prime Minister’s Office chaired the editorial board for and Cabinet Office strategy to ensure that security. its first five issues, he invited me Darragh charts the creation of to take over, from my vantage the National Security Council and MEET ‘ARNOLD’ 28 point as head of the Government describes the main challenges it Gemmaine Walsh, Policy Profession. The time is now faces today. Director of Communications, right for someone else to take Department for Education the reins, both as head of the A striking development in profession and chair of the board, recent years has been the spread INNOVATION NATION 32 and I’m delighted to be passing of automated processes to improve Emma Lindsell and both batons on to Jonathan the efficiency of both public Isobel Stephen, Slater, Permanent Secretary at services and back-office functions. Executive Director, Strategy, the Department for Education. The Department for Education Performance and Engagement, now benefits from the Government Jeremy was a great champion UK Research and Innovation Communication Service’s very first of policy making and I hope that robot, ARNOLD. You will have to in the seven and a half years I’ve read Gemmaine Walsh’s article SPOTLIGHT: BRILLIANT CIVIL 38 been Head of Profession, we have to discover what that stands for, SERVANTS – CIVIL SERVICE moved policy making forward. I am AWARD WINNERS 2019 but ARNOLD is making a huge particularly proud of the work we difference to the speed and Imogen Findlay, have done to improve the training Senior Corporate effectiveness of communications and development offer for policy Communications Manager, between DfE and the public. Cabinet Office making, including the development of our Masters programme with Fraud is among the commonest the LSE, and the recent addition crimes, affecting the public of a flexible, modular, postgraduate sector no less than other parts programme, building to a of the economy. We have looked postgraduate diploma with King’s previously at government initiatives College London. But policy‑making to counter this menace, and has to continuously evolve and the time is right for an update improve, and the profession will on progress. Mark Cheeseman, not only have to step up to new Deputy Director of the Counter challenges, but also seize the Fraud Centre of Expertise in opportunity for how we work, Cabinet Office, writes that in CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 3

its professionalisation of counter Isobel Stephen describe how much to be proud of and fraud in the public sector, the this works and the benefits it shouldn’t be afraid to shout UK is establishing itself as a will bring. about it. So, I am delighted that, world leader. in this, my last edition as chair, During my seven and a half we make room to celebrate Shevaun Haviland, from years as head of the Policy some of the winners of the 2019 the Government’s Business Profession, the training Civil Service Awards and their Partnerships Team, explains and development of policy brilliant work. how building long-term professionals to help them partnerships between business shape policy in an increasingly It has been a pleasure and and government can help us complex world has been a honour to chair the Civil Service to tackle the UK’s biggest top priority. The introduction Quarterly Board and I’d like to social and economic challenges, of an Executive Masters in take this opportunity to thank and create a fairer, more Public Policy programme, both my fellow board members inclusive, society. which the Civil Service co- and the excellent team at the designed and delivers with the Cabinet Office who do the hard The funding of research is London School of Economics, work of putting Civil Service big business and supports is a signal innovation, bringing Quarterly together. The best bit vital innovation in areas together leading practitioners of chairing the board is that you from medicine to climate and academics on key policy get to learn about the amazing change, and from the arts and challenges. We asked Della work that different parts of the humanities to engineering. To McVay, a recent graduate of Civil Service do, and I will look maintain the UK’s reputation the programme, to describe forward to continuing to read for excellence and effectiveness her experience and what it has about them in future editions in this field, arrangements for taught her. of Civil Service Quarterly. funding previously managed by seven separate UK research Part of Jeremy’s thinking in Sir Chris Wormald, councils have been brought creating Civil Service Quarterly Permanent Secretary, together under a single body, was that, as much as the Civil Department of Health UK Research and Innovation. Service needed to open itself and Social Care UKRI’s Emma Lindsell and up to new ideas, it also had

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Civil Service Quarterly opens up the EDITORIAL TEAM David Halpern, Chief Executive, Civil Service to greater collaboration Behavioural Insights Team Simon Holder, Cabinet Office and challenge, showcases excellence [email protected] Clare Moriarty, Permanent and invites discussion. If the Civil Secretary, Department for Exiting Service is to be truly world-leading, Helen Card, Cabinet Office, the European Union it needs to collaborate more, learn [email protected] from experts outside the Civil Bernadette Kelly, Permanent Imogen Findlay, Cabinet Office Service, listen more to the public Secretary, Department for Transport and frontline staff and respond to [email protected] Jonathan Slater, Permanent new challenges with innovation Daniel Cutts, Cabinet Office Secretary, Department for Education and boldness. [email protected] Sir Patrick Vallance, Government Any civil servant can write for Thanks to Benjamin Jackson, Chief Scientific Adviser Civil Service Quarterly – contact Department of Health and [email protected] Social Care Sir Richard Lambert, Chairman, Board of Trustees, British Museum Cover photo: © Crown copyright MEDIA CONTACT Sam Beckett, Joint Head, CONTACT US Matthew Blom, Cabinet Office Government Economic Service [email protected] [email protected] Charles Roxburgh, Director General, Room 317, 70 Whitehall, EDITORIAL BOARD London, SW1A 2AS Financial Services, HM Treasury Sir Chris Wormald, Permanent Jill Rutter, Programme Director, Read the magazine online Secretary, Department of Health Institute for Government and subscribe for free – and Social Care (chair) quarterly.blog.gov.uk Alex Aiken, Executive Director, Government Communications 4 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

THE CSQ INTERVIEW: SIR MARK SEDWILL

Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service

The most impressive thing I’ve seen is that public trust in the Civil Service continues to rise and is now at record levels CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 5

WHAT HAS MOST IMPRESSED THERE HAS BEEN SOME YOU ABOUT THE CIVIL MEDIA REPORTING AROUND SERVICE RESPONSE TO YOUR CIVIL SERVICE IMPARTIALITY. FOCUS ON TEAMWORK, HOW DOES THAT MAKE IMPACT AND TRUST AND YOU FEEL? THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE It’s frustrating, but we can’t FACED IN THE LAST YEAR? be completely immune from I think those messages the wider public and political have landed pretty well. I debate. One of the things I said was trying to find a way of in a message across the Civil describing those priorities Service was that Brexit is a that was meaningful and felt polarising issue. That is a fact. relevant, whether I was talking It’s not like other political issues. OVER A YEAR SINCE YOUR to a Permanent Secretary in It wasn’t that people agreed or APPOINTMENT, WHAT Whitehall, or to a civil servant disagreed about, say, the role ARE YOUR PRINCIPAL on the front line in any and of the state in the economy, REFLECTIONS ON YOUR every part of the country. where people have lots of ROLE AND HOW THE different views. It was a binary DIFFERENT ASPECTS In many ways the most proposition. And, as I said at the OF IT INTERSECT? impressive thing I’ve seen is that time, civil servants, as citizens, public trust in the Civil Service It has certainly been an weren’t immune from that. continues to rise and is now extraordinary last 12 months. at record levels – particularly Inevitably, every institution was I have one role that combines impressive when the Civil being drawn into the debate. being Head of the Civil Service Service has sometimes been It would have been virtually and National Security Adviser, drawn into the political debate. impossible for the Civil Service – as well as Cabinet Secretary. particularly in Whitehall – when I have found that the issues That’s probably the most the country’s going through I deal with engage at least pleasing aspect, and is, I something that significant, and two of those at any one time. believe, down to two things. the political temperature is To give an example, one One is, when we’ve been that high, not to find ourselves thing we needed to do when dealing with the issues in the drawn in – even if we didn’t step Boris Johnson became Prime headlines, we’ve absolutely into the debate ourselves. Minister was to supercharge maintained those core values However, I do believe the wider the work on no-deal planning, of honesty, integrity, impartiality Civil Service was largely immune which was essential because and objectivity. Second – and from it. Whitehall is probably of the commitment to leave, perhaps even more importantly only 10% of the Civil Service one way or the other. That – the fact that, every day, civil organisation. required a great deal of work servants get on with the job in Cabinet, with ministers and of running frontline public It is frustrating to hear civil others, to make sure they really services and looking after their servants’ impartiality being understood the issues, and fellow citizens. And they do questioned, because I simply could focus on the big decisions it brilliantly – often in a way don’t think it’s true. I genuinely they needed to take. summed up by a word that don’t know – and don’t need to doesn’t appear in the formal know – how civil servants voted At the same time, we had the values but which is absolutely in the referendum. Some of duty of communicating with the critical to how public servants our most talented people, Civil Service. First, to engage operate, with ‘compassion’. at all grades, of all ages, from all the energy and enthusiasm of parts of the country, absolutely those people working directly For most of the civil servants threw themselves into the on the preparatory work – quite dealing with the public, Brexit project, supporting the a large group of people in itself. compassion is at least as Government and delivering And then to say to the wider important as those central its policy, whether it was in Civil Service – the huge majority, values. I think that’s the thing DExEU, in the teams in the who deal daily with issues in that I’ve seen most. And, of Cabinet Office, or now in the social care, immigration and all course, it has an impact – one teams in No.10. So, in the end the other frontline services – to that’s most effectively delivered you think, well, that’s what’s be aware that, while many of when people are operating real and important. their colleagues were working effectively as part of a team. flat out on EU Exit, we relied on them to keep going with their own vital work. 6 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE So, we’ve got to make There was an interesting BIG CHALLENGES FOR THE sure our services and our piece in one of the Sunday CIVIL SERVICE OVER THE operating model moves in two newspapers recently from NEXT PERIOD? directions – these two channel Andy Street and Andy Burnham, shifts at once. That’s a huge the metropolitan mayors of Our challenges, in a sense, transformation programme. It the West Midlands and Greater are the same ones the will be part of the Spending Manchester, from different Government faces. We now Review and we’ll need parties, essentially talking about have a government with a exceptional change leadership. the infrastructure programme. strong majority to deliver We will also need people whose The Civil Service needs to be Brexit. So our priorities and EQ – their emotional intelligence involved in the regeneration challenges are about helping – is at least as good as their IQ, of some of the big metropolitan the Government deliver on its to deal with those citizens who areas. Moving people into hubs agenda more broadly, through need our support and are often is part of that. the Brexit inflection point. But least equipped to navigate the there’s also the considerable We need to be part of a whole complexities of state provision. economic reorientation range of changes, and the as we change our trading And, of course, we need people challenge for the Civil Service relationship with the EU and who can deal with the wider is to make sure it’s fit to play its build new trading relationships global issues that come along. role in the 2020s and beyond. with other big countries and Just consider the last few And we should be leading that markets. It’s a significant decades: the fall of the Berlin effort ourselves, generating our economic challenge for the Wall, 9/11, the Arab Spring – own ideas, to be sure, but also whole country, and we have events that essentially defined looking internationally at the to help businesses and citizens their decades but weren’t best practice and asking, what navigate their way through it. anticipated. Part of what the can we learn? public service must be able to Then, we have the commitments We came top of the do is adapt to whatever the on climate action: Net Zero International Civil Service next big event is – it could be carbon by 2050, but also climate Effectiveness Index in 2019, economic, it could be political, adaptation. Huge programmes which is very gratifying. But it could happen overseas, but will be required to manage we came top in only one of the we have to be ready. that adaptation, including in index’s dozen core indicators. infrastructure. It will demand And though we’re in the upper HOW DO YOU THINK intense engagement with quartile of some, in other areas WE CAN BE BETTER industry and the public, many we aren’t. So we need to be ORGANISATIONALLY AND IN of whom are already really asking ourselves what we can THE WAY WE WORK TO MEET engaged by the climate change learn from Finland or Singapore THOSE CHALLENGES? issue and believe in the necessity or Canada or elsewhere, about for action. I’ve talked to the Prime Minister digital delivery or some of the at length about civil and wider other areas where others do We’ve also got the fourth, public service reform – because it better. technological, industrial it isn’t just about the Civil revolution and all the changes Service, it’s broader. And I’ve that’s going to bring. We’ve discussed the dual channel got dual channel shift within shift with both him and his the Civil Service itself and advisers. Alongside that are other public services: the digital other questions: what is the agenda, delivering more and employment model; what kind more services to the bulk of the of people are we going to need, people in the country through not now but in 2030? Because digital means. we’ve got to be recruiting now, We need people And – I mentioned compassion and attracting, retaining and earlier – we need to ensure motivating. How do we shift whose EQ – their that we wrap around our more of the leadership and the services in a more holistic Civil Service away from London, emotional intelligence way – particularly the and use the public service as – is at least as good as acute services that people a whole as part of the engine in the most challenging driving the levelling-up agenda their IQ, to deal with circumstances, and those around the country. those citizens who really with complex needs, require. need our support CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 7

HOW DO YOU SEE THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND THE FUSION APPROACH FITTING INTO THAT LONG-TERM AGENDA OF The Strategic CHALLENGE AND CHANGE? Framework is saying… This is as much about government as the Civil Service we need to judge per se, but we must be a big how we’re doing as a part of that agenda. government and as a Essentially, the Strategic Framework is taking some country, not on purely of the lessons we’ve learnt in economic criteria National Security, and from countries who do these things but against broader really well. New Zealand has measures pursued reforms of this kind for several years. They established a National Performance Framework, which doesn’t just, for example, take data on unemployment, inflation or economic growth, but looks across other areas of communities, the safety of the traditional vertical structures government activity and asks: individuals, whether they can of government departments. how well are we doing across go about their daily lives in the It’s been attempted before, by the board? way that they want and get the trying to turn the vertical into education they need, is crime the horizontal, and that hasn’t The Wellbeing Index introduced being tackled in their areas, and worked. It’s one of the areas under the Cameron government so on. You have a whole series where we need collaborative is an example of that approach, of issues around security and effort across government. but we need to look more safety, and around sustainability Climate action is probably the broadly.The Strategic Framework and the environment, and biggest single example, but is really saying, we have a then a set of issues around the there are others. If you want series of economic goals, set country’s role and influence to cut crime, you need a whole by government. Then we have in the world. And what we’re range of social policy actors, goals around the wellbeing saying is, we need to judge how as well as the criminal justice of the individual citizen. These we’re doing as a government system, to do that. If you relate to the inclusiveness of and as a country, not on purely want to tackle homelessness, economic criteria but against then you’re dealing with the those broader measures. healthcare system as much as you’re dealing with housing That’s one part of the change and street crime, and so on. that’s needed. The second part is about building the horizontal There are many big issues that structures that are as strong as involve several departments. We need to plan across the system, focus on outcomes, get ministers and government to set the direction, align the funding and resources, and then put in place the structures to deliver the policy. 8 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

This doesn’t apply universally. them, it’s about removing requiring as many different Some things are better done barriers and giving them agencies to engage at pace – as by individual departments. But permission. That’s what Brexit readiness did last year. some things need to be done resetting the relationship in a cross-cutting way. That’s between Whitehall, the wider CAN WE CONTINUE TO RELY what that part of a fusion Civil Service and the wider ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE approach is about – doing that public service is all about. ETHOS TO ATTRACT AND in a purposeful way, bringing RETAIN CIVIL SERVANTS; DOES HOW WE PREPARED programme and campaign AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO FOR BREXIT HAVE ANYTHING disciplines, all of our capabilities, REDUCE STAFF MOVEMENT TO TEACH US? to bear. WITHIN AND OUT OF THE Yes, I think it does. If we look at SERVICE, WHICH HAS It’s then about system leadership the Brexit operations committee, ATTRACTED CRITICISM? to deliver, and that’s about for example, that group drew ensuring that we are engaging I think the criticism has some upon experience we’ve had the wider public service, as well point. You can see turnover elsewhere – in national security, as the private and third sectors. if, for example, the offices crisis management, the COBR of different departments in the I have noticed that, if you get system, and so on. So, we draw same city pay different rates. a group of public servants on those and say, we know And though you see more together from different we do those things really well turnover in Whitehall, again, organisations, and create when reacting to something, we mustn’t confuse Whitehall, the conditions for them and it breaks down the barriers which accounts for only about to work as a team, across and everyone gets on with it. 10% of the entire workforce, boundaries, where their Acknowledging that, how do with the Civil Service as a expertise is respected, on a we translate that culture, and whole. And it’s also true that common problem – let’s say, the underlying systems and in certain specialisms, people the rehabilitation of offenders structures, into this big project don’t tend to move. But that – they just love doing it. I saw that is Brexit readiness? doesn’t mean the criticism’s not this borne out recently, when That bringing together of valid. It comes as much from the Public Service Leadership experts, ministers and others, in civil servants themselves as Group, convened by Cabinet a purposeful way, at a high pace, from anyone outside. Office, brought together senior with actions decided, drawing civil servants from different I think there are structural on operational experience from disciplines, local authority factors. Pay is clearly one the areas I mentioned, has officials, and representatives of them. A decade of pay been really instructive. It’s not of other public sector bodies restraint has made it harder appropriate for very long-term, from across the country, at and has incentivised some strategic issues, where you’re Wormwood Scrubs, specifically behaviours that are sensible making massive decisions about to address this issue. business cases on infrastructure, Because most public servants say. But it is appropriate are natural team players, it’s to dealing with something not actually about encouraging as all‑encompassing – and

The public service ethos… that’s got to be the core of our offer, always… while being a great all‑round employer CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 9

for the individual but not in There’s also something about diversity, on flexible working, the interests of the organisation whether we genuinely facilitate on pensions, and job security. as a whole. If the only way of interchange with the third People can join the Civil Service getting a pay increase at your sector and private sector, or, and know that, for example, grade is to move departments, in effect, say we do but put the maternity and paternity or the only way to get promoted structural barriers in the way. In leave offers are near or at the is to move jobs, then people will my own case, returning after a very best of any employer in move. There is something about couple of years away at NATO, the country. those embedded incentives we I recall feeling that more value It’s a competitive package. need to address. could have been applied to the But the fundamental motivation experience I’d gained. Personally, as we make for civil servants is going to the channel shift, I would Whether people go out to be the public service ethos, like to see more processes the private sector or the third and doing something that is handled by automation, AI sector, we need to get those both worthwhile and really and intelligent software. This things right. interesting. That’s got to be means that, overall, we will the core of our offer, always, We’re not likely to compete probably need fewer people. while also being a great on pay, particularly in London, And our turnover means all‑round employer. with the leading private sector that we can manage that in organisations. But other parts a smooth way; that we will of the Civil Service package be able to pay those people are absolutely at the top of the who we retain more. It means employment offer table – on training them more. It means ensuring, in particular, that where we value EQ as much as IQ, we’re really equipping those people to do the job well. Sometimes, the job is to steady things and keep your head

DO YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BALANCE YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE? People never believe this, You just have to manage the job and communicate them; pick but, no, I really don’t. in the way that works best for a great team and trust them; you. I tend to work long days and stay calm. To be clear, going back to and a short week. And I don’t where we started this interview, The third one I found live in London, so I can get away I’ve only got one role. It has particularly interesting: staying and be with my family. I think different facets, but that’s true calm, and projecting that, helps that’s so important. We live in of any big job. And the role of the people around you stay a rural area. It’s a very different Cabinet Secretary has changed calm. Even neuroscience tells world to metropolitan London, over the years, according to you they perform better as a and it gives me a different circumstances. Many of my result. And sometimes the job perspective on some of the predecessors did all of the is to steady things and keep issues I’m dealing with. I believe things I’m doing – because they your head. that’s part of where I add some didn’t have National Security value and helps me maintain Advisers for most of that time a balance. – and were also, for example, Permanent Secretary for the William Hague had a great line Cabinet Office, running a single on leadership. He said it’s about big institution. three things: have big ideas 10 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

BECOMING A POLICY ‘MASTER’

Della McVay, Deputy Director for External Affairs and Partnerships, Universal Credit Programme, DWP

I can now help my teams frame advice to ministers that genuinely influences and challenges policy development Della McVay working on her master’s in a café in Florence CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 11

he Executive Master Further, I recognise that you but compelling in the options Tof Public Policy (EMPP) don’t need to be an expert in a it offers. I can now help my qualification offered by the particular field to be an effective teams frame advice to ministers Government Policy Profession policy-maker, and believe that that genuinely influences and is co-designed and delivered by the empirical skills I have gained challenges policy development, the Civil Service and the London would enable me to work rather than simply offering School of Economics. Its aim is effectively in any policy role, implementation advice. It has to equip talented civil servants including my aspiration to work also given me the conviction to deliver effective policy in an in international policy-making. to challenge evidence that increasingly complex world. is misleading or flawed in I was proudest of my essay for its methodology. Over a period of 19 months, the empirical methods class, participants study part-time and of creating a Randomised and attend lectures at the LSE Control Trial research design. campus. So far, 111 candidates FOUR TIPS FOR I also used this work to have completed the programme. NEGOTIATING THE EMPP challenge arguments for A fifth cohort of students began legislation requiring a policy • The first few months are the their courses in December. intervention in my own toughest. Block out as much We asked recent graduate Della work area. I suspected this time as you can and try not McVay to give us her reflections intervention would be both to leave essay writing until on the course. costly and not beneficial to the last minute, otherwise an individual’s welfare, and your grades (and your helped to design a trial of holidays) will suffer. Writing this on a Sunday its effectiveness. Building • Get to grips with the afternoon brings to mind when an evidence base put a structure of effective essay a significant proportion of my persuasive counter-argument writing as soon as possible. weekends was spent writing and created the possibility Narrow your focus in essays essays or sitting exams for the of better outcomes through as much as possible. Choose EMPP. I have a tenuous claim alternative interventions. something that interests to fame for writing essays on you and that you can argue a plane, on the Trans-Siberian CONFIDENCE IN PRESENTING strongly. Even better, if Express and in Italy, Cambodia, EVIDENCE AND MAKING you can, form an argument Russia and China. COMPELLING POLICY against some of the RECOMMENDATIONS I take huge personal satisfaction academic material by using from completing the EMPP. I’ve I realised that a humanities examples from your work. chosen two areas that I believe degree and a decade as a civil • Don’t be scared to test ideas had the most transformative servant had led to some bad with the academic staff. It effect in making me a more habits: particularly, too much can be difficult to understand confident leader and ready focus on navigating the political where you’re not quite hitting to take on new challenges. landscape, and a misconception the mark. So, ask for more of Civil Service neutrality. feedback to help you adapt CONFIDENCE IN ENGAGING to the very specific style A large part of my role had WITH EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE expected at LSE. been to smooth the passage of Seeking this was one of the policies already decided, rather • Participate as fully as key drivers for my applying than helping to shape new ones possible. This is an incredible for the EMPP. It has made me a and challenge those presented opportunity, not just to learn more intelligent commissioner, to us by ministers. I’m here to new things but to meet consumer and analyser of help ministers achieve their new people with different empirical evidence. goals, but this does not mean perspectives and make my advice should be overly safe. connections, including with The EMPP international other civil servants and the development module helped My approach had been to cohort of predominantly me to develop a framework provide supporting evidence international students for reading academic papers, for all sides of an argument. on the sister programme understanding them and being This objectivity, laudable in (Executive Master of Public able to identify problems in the itself, lacked rigour and failed Administration) evidence. I can now work out the to present ministers with clear, motivation, conceptual structure, workable policy choices. identifying assumptions, and For more information, please The EMPP has given me the effects of research behind email: policy.profession@ confidence and skills to source a policy, its implications policyprofession.gov.uk evidence, analyse it, consider and suitability for wider the policy implications and implementation. craft a paper that is neutral 12 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

10 YEARS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

Darragh McElroy, Deputy Director, National Security Communications

UK troops leaving Afghanistan Photo: © Crown Copyright www.defenceimages.co.uk CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 13

However, the then PM made it clear that the council would be able to summon to its TERROR-RELATED THREATS weekly meetings virtually In 2010, the then PM presided anyone qualified to contribute he assertion that keeping over the first meeting of the to its purpose of defending Tthe country safe and National Security Council the country. secure is the first priority of (NSC), appointing the highly That would, of course, include any government has been regarded Sir Peter Ricketts, then representatives of the Armed a commonplace of political Permanent Undersecretary at Forces and the heads of the discourse for generations. Yet the Foreign and Commonwealth main intelligence agencies, MI5, it was only ten years ago that a Office, to the new role of MI6, GCHQ and DI (Defence Prime Minister, David Cameron, National Security Adviser (NSA), Intelligence), who could share took the significant step of based in the Cabinet Office. the latest reports with ministers, establishing a powerful body The first item on the NSA’s all of whom would have signed responsible for co‑ordinating agenda, unsurprisingly, was to the Official Secrets Act. Not the responses to any dangers review terror-related threats to that even that level of security that British citizens might face. the British mainland, followed by could prevent alleged loose Successive premiers had a discussion about the stability talk – in April 2019 an inquiry attempted to re-engineer of Afghanistan and Pakistan. was ordered into the leaking the machinery of central to the Daily Telegraph of a Around the table were a cast government, in pursuit of the decision by the NSC to allow of political heavyweights, best arrangement of resources Chinese tech giant Huawei to the Chancellor, the Foreign and personnel to meet the bid for ‘non-core’ elements Secretary, the Home Secretary threats facing the UK. When of the prospective 5G mobile and the International first mooted by Cameron and communications network. Development Secretary. a group of his policy advisers (including Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones, a former head of the Joint Intelligence Committee) the idea of a central body to co‑ordinate all the power a PM can summon to protect national security was met with cynicism in One official certain quarters. One official commented that the idea commented that of “instant cross-Whitehall coordination in a crisis was a the idea of ‘instant dream, and would remain one”. cross‑Whitehall co-ordination in a crisis was a dream, and would remain one’ 14 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

CORE PRINCIPLES BRINGING CLARITY EXPERIMENT AND RECALIBRATION At the time, the creation of One former senior intelligence the NSC was supported by the official has described the Before Cameron’s initiative, Labour Party, with the Shadow creation of the NSC as “like his predecessors had grappled Defence Secretary, Vernon the lights coming on; because for over a century with Coaker, stating: “we support it was very difficult under similar problems of security its foundation… and it is vital the previous arrangements coordination. Several had that we see the NSC deliver to necessarily detect what experimented with different the long‑term strategic direction decisions, if any decisions, combinations of senior official for which it is established.” were being taken on a number appointments to deal with of issues, and the thinking that the responsibilities of national From its first meeting, the led to those decisions was even security (which, broadly, NSC set about establishing a more opaque.” encompass defence, intelligence, national security strategy that foreign affairs, internal security enshrined three core principles: A Civil Service report on the and civil contingencies). the protection of the citizens of NSC found that, “in terms of the UK; protection of its global regularity of process, frequency Long-serving prime ministers, influence; and the promotion of of high-level ministerial and like Margaret Thatcher and its prosperity. official attendance at meetings, Tony Blair, had begun to favour and focused secretariat support, smaller, less formal, circles of A decade later, the NSC – it has brought greater clarity national security advice and and the supporting National to a broad range of national decision-making. For each Security Secretariat (NSSec) security policy issues.” The premier, the Civil Service had – is viewed as the perfect review concluded: “The NSC to be ready to recalibrate case study of how, within demonstrates the potential arrangements for providing an enviably short time from benefits of a ‘strong grip’ at the necessary support, and concept to implementation, the centre and the ‘halo effect’ to stand its ground in arguing and in a constantly changing of consistent prime ministerial that each step away from political climate, the centre investment of time and effort formal committee processes of government can adapt to in committee work.” could jeopardise clarity and meet its responsibilities and transparency within government. effectively coordinate a key It is widely acknowledged that area of policy. the NSC owes its success, in Today’s NSC, aided by its no small part, to the quality of well-resourced secretariat, is a its National Security Advisers, world away from how national beginning with Sir Peter (now, security was handled a century Lord) Ricketts, and continuing or so ago, when it was merely with Sir Kim Darroch and the an item to be raised at Cabinet present NSA, Sir Mark Sedwill, meetings. In their early days, who is also Cabinet Secretary. such gatherings functioned without minutes and could be long, rambling affairs, ministers departing with little idea of what had been decided. Their private secretaries would then have to correspond in an attempt to clarify the details. For example, an appeal to one of Gladstone’s The national security secretaries stated that ‘there must have been some decision… strategy… enshrined My Chief has told me to ask you three core principles: what the devil was decided, for he be damned if he knows.” protection of the citizens of the UK; protection of its global influence; and promotion of its prosperity CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 15

SEPARATION OF POLICY Arthur Balfour was the first PM to suggest that the areas of foreign and defence policy should be treated separately from domestic matters at Cabinet. In 1904, he formed the Committee of Imperial Defence (CID), a precursor to the NSC. The secretariat of the CID, under Sir Maurice Hankey, provided the basis of the Cabinet Office, which was created in December 1916 – with Hankey as the first Cabinet Secretary – to facilitate collective Cabinet decision‑making. Hankey held both secretaryships until 1938. Having been tweaked by subsequent PMs, including Asquith and Lloyd George, the CID continued to develop until the outbreak of war in 1939, eventually becoming known as, simply, the Defence Committee. As with the NSC today, other ministers attended these meetings at the prime minister’s behest, as appropriate to the subjects under discussion. Incidentally, in terms that may still resonate today, the CID’s first head, Sir George Clarke, recognised the challenges to any prime ministerial adviser facing competing departmental centres of power and influence. He lamented having to operate by “the gentle pulling of strings”, rather than “being able to speak with power”, given his status as a “mere” civil servant.

Today’s NSC is a world away from how national security was handled a century or so ago, when it was merely an item raised at Cabinet meetings

Sir Maurice Hankey, from 1916 to 1938, secretary to the CommIttee of Imperial Defence and Cabinet Secretary (Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division) 16 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

Ultimately, the NSC will be judged on whether it has improved the effectiveness of national security decision‑making CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 17

TWEAKS AND CHANGES FOUR MAIN CHALLENGES • the erosion of the rules- based international order, A significant change came in Today, the responsibilities making it harder to build 1968, with the appointment of the NCS remain the same, consensus and tackle of a Coordinator, bringing in enabling a government to global threats. a senior security official coordinate the information into the Cabinet Office to gathered by the intelligence The strategy sets out a number assist the Cabinet Secretary agencies to secure the country of other risks: civil emergencies; with his intelligence‑related against serious organised crime, major natural disasters overseas; responsibilities, including terrorists and hostile foreign energy security; the global reviewing the agencies’ intelligence agencies. economy; and climate change performance and scrutinising and resource scarcity. The council continues to meet their annual bids for budget weekly when Parliament is in allocations. ARE WE SAFER? session. The usual procedure Another tweak, after the is for papers to be taken During its first ten years, the 11 September 2001 terrorist on two subjects, with short NSC has delivered collective attacks, was the appointment presentations followed by a decision-making and strategic of Sir David Omand to a new discussion on each. Ministers oversight on everything from role as Security and Intelligence who are not standing members terror attacks in London Coordinator, to oversee both the of the NSC are invited to attend, and Salisbury, to military intelligence agencies and the as necessary, to discuss issues deployments in Afghanistan Civil Contingencies Secretariat. affecting their departments. and Libya. But until the formation of the The council adheres to the Ultimately, the NSC will be NCS in 2010, the responsibility National Security Strategy, judged on whether it has for national security continued which states four main security improved the effectiveness to be divided among several challenges for the UK for the of national security cabinet committees, with coming decade: decision‑making. Is the UK specific responsibility for safer – or, at least, are its • the increasing threat posed dealing with the changing leaders making better-informed by terrorism, extremism concept of security, whether and more timely decisions on and instability; coordinating anti-terrorism security – because of the NSC? efforts or dealing with the threat • the resurgence of of nuclear attack (a conspicuous state‑based threats, concern during the Cold War). and intensifying wider state competition; At times, intelligence and • the impact of technology, policy became too close. especially cyber threats, The 1983 Falklands Islands and wider technological Inquiry, and the 2004 Review developments; and of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction, stressed the need to uphold the independence and objectivity of intelligence assessment.

Part of the team involved in the clean-up operation following the Salisbury nerve agent attack in 2018 18 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

FIGHTING FRAUD AT HOME AND ABROAD

Mark Cheeseman, Deputy Director, Counter Fraud Centre of Expertise, Cabinet Office CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 19

t is hard to escape the TYPES OF FRAUD WELFARE AND shadow of fraud, which media HEALTH FRAUD I Government has been collecting headlines frequently cite as the data since 2014 to further To take types of fraud in just most prevalent of all crimes. In understand the different two areas, welfare and health. the UK, we estimate fraud and types of fraud in the public Failure to notify changes in error loss at between £31 billion sector. The Cross-Government circumstances is a major driver and £48 billion per year across Fraud Landscape Report 2019 of fraud and error in the welfare the public sector – and we are will publish the loss data by system. These can often be not alone. typology for the first time. relatively low-value changes, but As well as one of the most over time can lead to significant As a result of this work, we now common crimes, fraud, by overpayments and result in both know that 85% of detected its very nature, is complex civil and criminal sanctions. fraud across government relates and hidden. However, as civil Working to reduce these is a key to external fraud, whereas servants, the public entrust part of the Welfare Fraud, Error 15% of detected fraud stems us with their hard-earned and Debt strategy. from internal fraud types. This money to deliver the services information helps us to know In the health system, they rely on. It takes courage, which areas are likely to be high‑volume / low-value fraud is persistence and a good deal targeted, and where we should a significant area of loss in many of skill to embrace the task of focus resources to better parts of government. This is detecting fraud, bribery and protect ourselves and vital probably best demonstrated by corruption and dealing with public services. the issue of prescription fraud in them effectively. the NHS in England and Wales. Current estimates suggest losses of around £162 million in 2017/18 resulting from individual charge evasion at £8.60 each, or around 19 million charges THE FRAUD ICEBERG evaded in total. In the UK we split fraud into three classifications: Detected, Estimated and Unknown, using an iceberg analogy to illustrate this.

Detected: in 2017–18, government detected around £8.8 billion of fraud and error, which includes welfare Estimated: just below the and tax – the tip of surface, government estimates the iceberg. £26.8 billion of fraud and error. These are estimates from loss measurement programmes in areas such as welfare, tax, credit and health, and include the tax gap – unexplained discrepancies in the tax take/return.

Total estimated fraud and error Unknown: deep below loss per year: the surface: £2.0 billion £31 billion to to £19.6 billion, calculated as 0.5% to 5% of annual £48 billion government expenditure. 20 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

A NEW FUNCTION To improve our capability, the Historically, because Government has invested in the Counter Fraud Function of the scrutiny it and Counter Fraud Profession. could attract, it was The Function and Profession are co‑ordinated by the not favourable to Counter Fraud Centre of identify fraud within Expertise (CoEx) in the Cabinet Office. The profession a department or recognises experts working in across the public counter fraud, bringing them together as a community and sector introducing common standards and guidance.

COEX PRIORITIES Over the past six years, the to share leading practices and in multiple control layers to CoEx has grown from just make common cause in dealing bolster those defences. For four people to a team of 40 with UK public sector fraud. example, while we may use counter‑fraud specialists. Its data analytics to identify fraud work to improve the response The result of these initiatives based on a known pattern, the to fraud has included: is that the UK is establishing point of attack can quickly shift itself as world-leading, trusted Changing the culture to to new areas. So, it’s important and innovative in its fight one where finding fraud to understand the limitations against fraud, particularly in is a good thing of the control, and to leverage the public sector, and is forging new capabilities such as artificial relationships internationally. Historically, because of the intelligence to identify new criticism and scrutiny it could trends as they emerge. attract, it was not favourable IS THERE A BEST APPROACH to identify fraud within a FOR DETECTING FRAUD? TACKLING UNKNOWN FRAUD department or across the public When fraud professionals Government is addressing the sector. Having people working consider how to increase the issue of unknown fraud through to find fraud and devise ways detection of fraud, they quickly initiatives such as the fraud to strengthen our controls and acknowledge that there is no measurement and assurance stop fraudsters should not be single way of doing so and, (FMA) programme, developed seen as a failing. further, that we cannot rely by the CoEx. This programme Building a credible on a single control measure helps organisations to find evidence base to provide protection. A fraud in areas considered multi‑faceted approach to high risk – but where little is This was no mean feat. Before detection and prevention known of current fraud levels 2013 there was no single source is required. – through transaction testing of evidence for fraud loss in and sampling. It also helps to Because fraudsters exploit the public sector. Researching identify gaps in the control control vulnerabilities and approaches domestically and framework, with an emphasis continually test our defences, internationally, the team has on managing known loss once the best strategy is to invest worked to develop a unique, it is found. world-leading methodology to measure fraud loss.

Bringing experts together RESULTS IN UK COUNTER FRAUD to drive transformation Around 15,000 people work in central government alone Because of its diverse and tackling fraud against the public sector. The CoEx sets the complex nature, tackling fraud strategy, standards and policy for the Counter Fraud Function. demands a similarly diverse set of skills. These include capability Since its inception, the CoEx has supported UK Government in data and analytics (to prevent departments to prevent £400 million each year in fraud loss and detect fraud), measurement, through new initiatives. Other departments and agencies (not investigation and fraud risk including tax and welfare) have also benefited from CoEx assessment. The CoEx team initiatives in fraud detection, with reported fraud in those has brought together experts agencies rising by 284% (from £31 million to £119 million) from across the public sector over three years. CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 21

The UK is recognised as a world leader in dealing with public sector fraud

The CoEx team in Washington, DC 22 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

Since 2014, 53 loss‑measurement The FMA process enables INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC exercises have been undertaken departments to understand SECTOR FRAUD FORUM across government. These their fraud risks and take While the focus of the Counter exercises also inform the preventative action where fraud Fraud CoEx is protecting estimated range of losses that and error is identified. Where public services in the UK from could reasonably be expected little or no fraud is found, the fraud, fraudsters don’t respect to exist in areas of unmeasured process offers assurance on jurisdictional boundaries. So, in government spend. This range the tested area. 2018, ministers challenged us to stands at 0.5% to 5.0% of annual look outwards, establish global government expenditure. REPORTING SUSPECTED relationships on this theme, FRAUD and share leading practices HOW FRAUD MEASUREMENT Across government, that would help us and other AND ASSURANCE (FMA) CAN organisations have countries to fight fraud. HELP SHINE A LIGHT whistleblowing and reporting ON FRAUD Since then, we have hosted routes to increase the reporting the four other countries in As part of their responsibility of fraud. These routes are the Five Eyes intelligence to protect public money, available to all civil servants alliance (Australia, Canada, Government departments are and it’s important that, if you New Zealand, and the US) in a required to shine a light on suspect fraud or wrongdoing, new group focused on tackling areas where fraud could exist, you report your concerns so it fraud in the public sector, the and measure the extent of can be dealt with appropriately. International Public Sector fraud when it is discovered. No one should feel they can’t Fraud Forum (IPSFF). The CoEx in the Cabinet speak up, and the sooner we In establishing the forum, the Office has developed the find the fraud, the quicker we CoEx has brought together FMA programme to support can prevent it. senior experts in counter fraud departments in undertaking from the various agencies in fraud measurement activity. the Five Eyes countries to share The programme involves best practice. Last year, forum three key steps: members published a guide on 1. A spend area fraud risk dealing with public sector fraud. assessment to identify As a result of the UK’s leading and assess three high-risk role in this group, and the areas of spend. The UK is the first progress made by the CoEx, 2. A detailed fraud risk countries have requested assessment on a selected country to launch UK support to develop their high-risk area. approach to public sector fraud. 3. Testing and measuring the a Counter Fraud For example, after a challenging levels of fraud and error in Profession request from the Australian a selected high-risk area. Attorney-General’s department, These steps are cyclical, and the UK conducted the CoEx’s should be repeated in order first paid consultancy project. to see an overall improvement in fraud detection rates and measurement within a department. CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 23

SUPPORTING AN before they are implemented, CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR AUSTRALIAN COUNTER and throughout their life cycle, INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS FRAUD COEX using fraud risk assessments) Work is ongoing to support is a much more economical The challenge was to help our other IPSFF partners, with and effective investment than Australia build a convincing collaboration on a series of investigating and recovering business case for investment products, to share best practice detected fraud. in their own Counter Fraud and maximise counter fraud Centre of Expertise. The We helped the case be efforts. This activity will include Attorney General’s Department clear that counter‑fraud thought papers on the use of (AGD) wanted to quantify activities have to be holistic Artificial Intelligence to counter potential losses to the Australian – with fraud prevention and fraud, and the development of public sector. At the same time detection alongside disruption, fraud-awareness training for as working with the UK CoEx, investigation and enforcement public servants. they employed a private sector activity. As well as being recognised as consultancy to help develop We also identified that improved a world leader in dealing with a model. fraud control, especially public sector fraud, the UK is The consultants concluded that: prevention, would contribute emerging as a pace-setter in directly to keeping the economy the professionalisation of “Due to its focus on public strong. It would also ensure counter fraud, being the first sector fraud and error loss, that public funds reached the country to launch a Counter and its detailed methodology... intended recipients, including Fraud Profession. the UK Cabinet Office (CO) the most vulnerable, and were Cross‑Government Fraud As the profession develops, not diverted to criminals and Landscape methodology for example in the use of data fraudsters. provides the best approach and analytics and fraud risk to estimating the total cost These measures will allow the assessment, we are confident of fraud against the Australian AGD to support the development the other Five Eyes will be Commonwealth.” of a comprehensive Australian looking on with interest and approach to countering fraud. ready to reach out for support. We worked with the Australian The CoEx continues to assist AGD to show that the UK the department – including approach (investing in with the secondment of UK staff prevention through identifying – as it builds its own Counter and mitigating vulnerabilities Fraud CoEx. in policies and programmes 24 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIPS: DRIVING INNOVATION AND TACKLING POLICY CHALLENGES

Shevaun Haviland, Deputy Director, Business Partnerships Team, Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Office CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 25

here are deep-rooted social The approach of organising, The IEP’s first accelerator Tchallenges in the UK that planning and collaborating programme supported the affect the lives of thousands across government and sector scaling ambitions of innovators of citizens every day. boundaries to address complex, with proven, on‑the‑ground multi-dimensional national solutions to social challenges. Over 800,000 young people are issues, echoes that adopted in During the accelerator, we made not in education, employment the Strategic Framework for 230 introductions between the or training, meaning they cannot how government and the wider social innovators and corporate secure and retain meaningful public sector can work together. partners, resulting in over 100 employment. Some 5.5 million high-impact partnerships. people are in bad debt and do SOCIAL IMPACT not have access to affordable In addition, the social innovators credit. Additionally, many The IEP, driven by the Cabinet generated around £650,000 employees do not feel their Office and the Department in additional grant support, mental health is supported in for Digital, Culture, Media and and £1.2 million in savings and the workplace – an issue that Sport, has harnessed the unique in‑kind support, with revenue costs the economy an estimated convening power of government of £3.2 million forecast over £74 billion to £99 billion per year. to create an initiative that the following year. doesn’t just talk about change, Tackling these entrenched but delivers it. CREATING HEALTHIER challenges, to unleash the WORKPLACES potential of people and Supported by an advisory board communities across the UK and of business leaders, government One example of a high-impact create a fairer, more inclusive ministers and civil society partnership set up through the society, requires a new and champions, including the CEOs accelerator was between This innovative approach. That of Nationwide, the Co-op, the is Me – a campaign, part of the is why we have created the National Lottery Community Lord Mayor’s Appeal scheme, Inclusive Economy Partnership Fund and UnLtd, we have that aims to create healthy (IEP), between the economy’s convened over 175 organisations workplaces by encouraging three major sectors, business, and catalysed over 100 social employees to share their mental civil society and government, impact partnerships. Thanks health stories – and Landsec, bringing together their to the these partnerships, which buys, sells, develops and distinctive skills, insights over 50,000 additional people manages commercial property and networks in pursuit of will now benefit from: fairer in the UK. a common goal. and more informed access to For This is Me, the partnership financial services; access to provided access to a whole new THE PARTNERSHIP MODEL services that support their sector and a typically hard- mental health; and tools to The IEP partnership model to-reach audience of young improve young people’s access is designed to accelerate males, and also helped expand to the job market. progress towards meaningful the campaign beyond London. change: amplifying the For Landsec, it gave them efforts of organisations access to high-impact mental working on the same issues, health resources, allowing their helping companies and social employees to be more open innovators to scale proven about their own experiences solutions, and pioneering new The IEP is a great and creating a more productive initiatives to age-old problems. work environment. Such partnerships allow every example of the power of IEP member to achieve more cross-sector partnerships by working together than to deliver impact quickly they could alone. —Jeremy Quin, Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office 26 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

INTO WORK AND BEYOND – to open up 1,000 new work find leaders who were ready placements in the region. The to take a new approach to Similarly, we supported placements were delivered by problem solving, and we MyKindaFuture, a mobile local employers in conjunction needed them to be from a platform that improves with training providers range of industries across the disadvantaged young people’s with an aim to support the UK. Using the established reach access into work and beyond, young people into full time of the Business Partnerships via digital mentoring from employment or further training Team and the 120 accounts we employers and a peer‑to‑peer following the placement. manage, we were able quickly forum. to identify who those people We also launched a challenge Through the IEP, MyKindaFuture were. We put the time in to prize, Open Banking for Good, formed successful partnerships ensure they got to know each supported by a £3 million fund with Accenture (who provided other as people, not just as from Nationwide, to find and pro-bono advice in utilising CEOs of organisations. This scale ways to improve financial cutting-edge technology to helped to build strong working inclusion and wellbeing using enhance the digital platform) relationships and establish an open banking technology. and M&S (who used the inclusive community built on platform to support 3,000 respect and trust. LESSONS LEARNED: SECRETS young people transitioning from TO BUILDING EXCELLENT Secondly, we established a work experience into full-time PARTNERSHIPS culture of experimentation emlyment). and quick delivery. This was an The IEP’s innovative approach important signal that we were to partnership working has interested in impact over and shown real impact in addressing above convening people for a tough policy challenges, but talking shop. By encouraging that’s not to say we don’t Our experimentation, we also face challenges. Deep-seated partnerships will showed that we prioritised competitive dynamics or a trialling new solutions over build evidence for impact lack of understanding between guaranteeing success. This gave and of the return on businesses or civil society our partners more confidence organisations – or even different investment for employers – to push themselves out of their government departments there’s much more to come comfort zones and lead new – can often preclude true initiatives, such as Nationwide’s and it’s hugely exciting. partnership working. Open Banking for Good. —Will Akerman, While we convened some of Finally, we ensured that our Founder and CEO, the most successful CEOs from CEOs had a real understanding business and civil society, we MyKindaFuture of the deep-rooted challenges still had to encourage them we were tackling. Meetings and to leave their organisational decisions were not confined cultures at the door and define to corporate boardrooms in a new way of working with one London. Instead, we visited another in equal partnership. CROSS-SECTOR PROJECTS different communities and included the voices of citizens Alongside the accelerator THREE KEY INGREDIENTS or organisations driving action programme, we have developed WERE CRITICAL FOR on the ground, which created a a series of innovative SUCCESS shared ambition and motivation cross‑sector projects. For Firstly, we did a lot of work to to drive change. example, we led a pilot in the make sure we had the right West Midlands – in partnership people around the table – the with Accenture, Movement entrepreneurial leaders who to Work, UnLtd, O2, Youth were ready to unleash their Employment UK and the West inner activist. We needed to Midlands Combined Authority CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 27

We received around 50 applications for our Open Banking for Good programme, In discussion at an Inclusive Economy Partnership event demonstrating the power and appeal of acting together… The IEP provides an opportunity for genuine collaboration towards mutual aims. — Joe Garner, Chief Executive, Nationwide Building Society

A CALL TO ACTION adopted by others facing ones and enabling good similar problems. ideas to be shared. The IEP has proved that to create a society we can all be In government, we can do much If you, too, believe in the power proud of, everyone has a role more to harness our influence of partnerships to create social to play. We must all do more. and convening power; joining change and want to find out the dots between organisations more about how our partnership Businesses can do more and looking to bring diverse model can be used to solve to harness their skills and voices around the table to help seemingly intractable policy networks; creating inclusive us develop new approaches to challenges, please get in touch employment opportunities, perennial policy challenges. with the Business Partnerships serving vulnerable customers Team at partnerships-team@ and helping to build thriving Although we are working on cabinetoffice.gov.uk. We communities. Likewise, civil three specific social issues, we have the network, skills and society can do more to share believe our partnership model passion to drive cross-sector its knowledge of the problems; can work across many more, partnership working across sharing best practice more both nationally and regionally, government. widely and co-creating models by joining up previously siloed for change that can be initiatives, amplifying successful 28 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

MEET ‘ARNOLD’ – THE FIRST ROBOT IN GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS

Gemmaine Walsh, Director of Communications, Department for Education

ARNOLD – Automated Robot Negating the Onerous Logging of Data – is having a massive impact on how we communicate with the public CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 29

Effective, responsive Seeing this trend, the Strategic communications and Improvement (SI) team in DfE’s engagement with the public and Communications Directorate taxpayers has to be at the heart approached other departments of all public service. The search to learn more about the for a new approach to managing technology. Having now applied these contacts has focused on that technology to our own ack in the 1980s, everyone using technology to improve work, we can testify to the Bthought that by now we the accuracy with which they benefits it brings. would all have robots like R2-D2 are handled so that they can be and C3PO working diligently responded to in a timely and FINDING INNOVATIVE at our sides. While that has not appropriate way. SOLUTIONS quite turned out to be the case Robotic Process Automation for most, here in the DfE comms Before ARNOLD arrived, the (RPA) is an emerging trend in team we recently welcomed the DfE responded to the public’s government and an increasingly Government Communication important questions, comments popular technology in both Service’s (GCS) very first robot. and complaints – around the public and private sectors. 120,000 of them each year – Now, ‘Automated Robot In essence, the robots here by manually inputting data into Negating the Onerous Logging are programmes that harness a system. Each email and letter of Data’, or ARNOLD to its artificial intelligence to make needed to be read, understood friends, doesn’t look like the decisions about how data is and categorised before it could robots we all imagined. It is handled. It is known to reduce be allocated to the correct actually a computer programme, costs and boost productivity, person for a response. but it is having a massive impact as well as improve the accuracy on how quickly and effectively of data collection while freeing Knowing that, in the private we are able to communicate those who were collecting the sector, the emerging practice with the public and address data to focus on other tasks. is to move away from doing this their concerns. kind of thing manually, the team took the bold step of exploring what robots could do for us.

With ARNOLD we can better spot the important issues that people get in touch with the department over

The DfE team behind ARNOLD 30 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

The team made full use of data What RPA means and worked with stakeholders in practice is that to develop and modify the robot we can make sure to increase its accuracy and get user emails to colleagues that our team focuses drafting replies more quickly. on delivery The robot creates a report for everything that it logs on the database. There are checkpoints throughout the process and, when it encounters a possible problem, ARNOLD sends out an alert, prompting colleagues to review a particular email. It also flags any exceptions or wider Once they had gathered Put simply, and fundamentally, technology issues that prevent best practice advice from with ARNOLD doing the it working as expected. The team other departments about the admin, we can better spot can then investigate and take success of RPA in their areas, the important issues that corrective action where needed. the SI team applied what people get in touch with they had learned to create a the department over, from This approach is consistent proof of concept robot, which child‑safeguarding concerns with the idea that ARNOLD would grow up to become to under-performing schools. is part of the team – everyone the ARNOLD we now know is clear about roles and where and love. Delivered through OVERCOMING CHALLENGES technology plays its part. Where the Cabinet Office Centre problems are raised, all emails With this being the first robot of Excellence (CoE) for RPA and letters are also checked by in DfE, and the GCS as a whole, framework, this scans the staff, with any issues identified one of the principal challenges content of emails, prioritises and corrected, and iterative was both winning support them based on risk, and then changes made to the robot for the concept from users completes the data entry into if required. and getting their feedback the system. for iteratively improving the Running the project has ARNOLD operates on a set efficiency of the robot after led to the team developing of rules to make decisions it went live. networks of contacts across when processing incoming government, including with other Within a limited budget, the emails. These rules help the departments who might be able team was looking for innovative robot to classify each email to use the robot code in their ways to use technology to through hundreds of variables own correspondence systems. deliver quicker results and free and distribute them to the up staff time for other duties. appropriate parties for response. At the beginning of the project, ARNOLD has now replaced the in November 2017, they were manual data entry of all user unsure whether the robot would emails and letters. be able to scan unstructured What it means in practice is emails and letters accurately. that we can make sure that The easy thing at this stage our team focuses on delivery would have been to walk away. rather than admin. It frees us The key was to confront the up to focus on our channel shift problem, stay focused on the strategy so that we can keep potential outcomes and apply pace with the changing way in problem‑solving skills to issues which people want to contact as they arose. government departments – moving beyond traditional letter writing and the public helpline and more towards live chat and social media. CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 31

To help government get serious about automation, Crown Commercial Service is launching the Automation Marketplace

THE AUTOMATION MARKETPLACE – THE NEXT STEP FOR RPA IN GOVERNMENT In 2017 the Cabinet Office launched a three-year RPA partnership with an external supplier, with the aim of accelerating the adoption of RPA across central government. This partnership has successfully supported departmental HOW RPA CAN CREATE investment in automation, but REAL VALUE as it comes to an end, a new ARNOLD has already proved email processing accuracy, commercial route is needed. its worth. As of November 2019, and reduction of back‑office Building on the foundations it had logged over 24,000 user processes. of the RPA Partnership, and emails, and reduced by nearly The potential for robots to to help government get serious a third the time it would have improve communications across about automation, Crown taken (over 145,000 minutes government is huge. In DfE, Commercial Service is launching or 100 days) to process them with the introduction of RPA, the Automation Marketplace manually. what was once a repetitive from March 2020. Valued at One of ARNOLD’s most manual process is now more £100 million over four years, important functions is its ability efficient and streamlined, using the marketplace will be an to scan and review an email an innovative and low-cost electronic platform (Dynamic in order to identify extremist solution. The challenge now Purchasing System – DPS) messages or children at risk. for the SI team is threefold: to that will offer a wide range These emails are flagged, scale up the way RPA works of automation services to expediting response times and in the department, join up the public sector, helping enhancing the department’s processes, and build on its departments access expertise ability to provide critical support cross-government networks and technology more easily. where necessary. so that they can progressively For additional information improve ARNOLD’s efficiency On top of this, the department please refer to the CCS website: and deliver even better service has already seen reduced https://www.crowncommercial. to the public. waiting times for users, greater gov.uk/agreements/RM6173 32 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

INNOVATION NATION

Emma Lindsell and Isobel Stephen, Executive Director, Strategy, Performance and Engagement, UK Research and Innovation

Research and innovation are vital to making people’s lives better

A scientist from the British Antarctic Survey taking measurements using LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 33

BIG BUSINESS GENERATING GROWTH AND IMPACT The UK has a long and proud record in research and Our role is to ensure that UKRI innovation. The British state gets the strategy right for has been funding research delivering funding and support since Charles II established the to the research and innovation Royal Observatory at Greenwich community. Our success will in 1675. Today, this activity be in generating the most is big business, and global economic growth and positive opinion polls of academics and societal impact possible from employers show that it is an our sector. area where we are considered We believe it is more important to excel. In 2017, 1.7% of UK GDP, than ever for funding to be or £34.8 billion, was spent on coherently managed, with research and innovation, with access more streamlined, and £8.2 billion of this being spent in for the culture UKRI fosters to universities and by government. be as inclusive, fair, equal and The aim now is to leverage UK diverse as possible. research spending – in line with he start of a new decade In the past, research funding the Government’s ambition to always prompts questions was managed by seven research T increase investment in R&D about pivot points, and this councils, each with their own overall to 2.4% of GDP – to certainly feels like a key moment remit, ranging from the arts realise long-term benefits across for research and innovation. to engineering, and by other the country. This reflects both The huge challenges facing the organisations with a role in political and public awareness human race can only be tackled university funding and in that research and innovation by bringing together research innovation. are vital to the success of UK across disciplines, and the UK’s growth as we forge a new path economic prosperity outside On the recommendation of a in 2020. the European Union demands report from Nobel‑Prize‑winning biologist Sir Paul Nurse, innovation that draws on the Put simply, research and these organisations have very best thinking. innovation are vital to making been brought together with people’s lives better: by We joined UK Research and the creation of UK Research pushing the frontiers of human Innovation (UKRI) as a jobshare and Innovation, a result of knowledge and understanding; Executive Director, Strategy, the Higher Education and improving economic Performance and Engagement, Research Act 2017. UKRI is performance and social mid-way through 2019, and building on the strengths of prosperity in all regions of the are excited about what UKRI the research councils with an UK; and supporting our society can do to support excellent objective to make research and others to become enriched, research and innovation, and funding even more efficient and healthier, more resilient and the potential its creation can effective, and more responsive sustainable. unleash in the sector. to stakeholders. 34 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

GROUNDBREAKING SCIENCE INTERDISCIPLINARITY DIGITAL FUNDING UKRI funding supports 58,000 Professor Sir Mark Walport To deliver our competitive researchers, including over is Chief Executive Officer of grant funding, we are 20,000 research students, UKRI. He says: “Even at this developing a new digital while UKRI itself employs 8,000 early stage, we are seeing funding service. This will make people and put £6.4 billion tremendous results from the it easier for our research and into research in 2018/19. councils’ sustained activity over innovation communities to find Most of this money went into many years, and the benefits of and apply for funding, and for universities, although some bringing them together in UKRI us to be highly productive and of the research councils run are beginning to emerge.” deliver a growing portfolio their own research centres. of investment, using our data Perhaps the most important These include such well-known to monitor impact and direct gain he sees is a simpler bodies as the British Antarctic future investment. approach to funding Survey, part of the Natural interdisciplinary research. The new service has been Environment Research Council, Interdisciplinarity is universally designed to offer a unified and or the Medical Research Council regarded as a vital route simpler application process, with (MRC) where researchers carry to insightful and influential consistent policies, that delivers out ground‑breaking science in research. Many of the all funding opportunities MRC‑funded facilities. greatest challenges require through a single website and Decisions on funding individual multi‑disciplinary approaches single service. This will free bids for research grants are – climate change, for example, up people’s time, automate made by academic or industry to examine the causes and tasks where possible, remove experts, and UKRI provides effects, using environmental duplication of effort, simplify the background against which science, soil science, geology rules, processes and policies, they work. This includes the and meteorology. The same and reduce the time taken to development of research approach can be applied to deliver funding to researchers. strategies and subject priorities, global politics, the influence as well as leadership in areas of individual people’s behaviour, such as research ethics, and more. publishing policy and diversity. The Strategic Priorities A central objective of the Fund (SPF) is also being transformation is to establish led by UKRI, to ensure that ‘a single front door’ for investment links up effectively anyone wanting to apply for with government research research and innovation grants, priorities and opportunities. to make the process more The fund supports high‑quality straightforward and efficient. multidisciplinary and This ambitious goal is set to be interdisciplinary research achieved over two years, with programmes, which might most of the changes taking otherwise be missed by place in 2020. traditional funding channels. It has already funded We have made it a priority projects across the themes to ensure our systems and of environment, biology and processes free up researchers biomedicine, and artificial and innovators to focus on intelligence. their work, while supporting us to make the best funding decisions. For example, from March 2020, grant applicants will no longer be required to provide a ‘Pathways to Impact’ plan or complete an ‘Impact Summary’. Also, over the next 12 months, At its heart, the task of UKRI will be piloting simpler, transformation is doing streamlined application and things in one way, not assessment processes for its research and innovation calls. nine different ways. These will reduce the burden on researchers and innovators – Dr Geoff Robins, UKRI applying to UKRI and ensure it Transformation Director continues to invest in the best ideas and people. CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 35

Dr Geoff Robins is UKRI’s MAKING LIVES BETTER to blue-skies, curiosity-driven Transformation Director. At research that can deliver UKRI research is responding to its heart, he says, the task of unpredicted benefits. the challenges and producing transformation is “doing things solutions that will change Economies around the world in one way, not nine different people’s lives for the better. are being transformed by ways [including Innovate UK Already, these range from the research and innovation. As and Research England, now discovery of plastic-eating we steer UKRI strategy, our under the UKRI umbrella], enzymes and new ways to make focus will be on enabling the while retaining the diversity hydrogen to fuel cars, to the UK research councils to work of approach that the individual discovery of the earliest galaxies together in new ways to deliver research councils bring through and the award of the 2018 Nobel an ambitious agenda, building their links to universities and Prize for Chemistry to Professor on the strength, breadth and other innovation bodies”. The Sir Gregory Winter. And from diversity of its portfolio. ambition is to be “the world’s research to solve specific best funding organisation societal or technical challenges, for research and investment, spending its money in the most effective manner”.

NERC-supported Antarctic research provides vital understanding of how the polar regions are responding to natural and human-driven pressures, and their impact on global climate

The RRS Sir David Attenborough on deployment 36 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

The 3D structure of the plastic‑digesting enzyme PETase in purple, with the surface of a partially digested plastic bottle in the background.

A new digital funding service will make it easier for our research and innovation communities to find and Professor John McGeehan, director of the apply for funding Centre for Enzyme Innovation at the University of Portsmouth, in the laboratory (credit: Stefan Venter, UPIX Photography) CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 37

WHY UK RESEARCH HYDROGEN FROM WASTE DISCOVERY OF THE EARLIEST GALAXIES MATTERS Engineering and Physical Sciences Research UKRI-funded astronomers, PLASTIC-EATING ENZYMES Council‑funded researchers together with US colleagues, UKRI-supported scientists at Swansea University have have found evidence that have engineered an enzyme found a way to turn discarded the faintest satellite galaxies that can digest some of our plastic into hydrogen to orbiting our own Milky Way most commonly polluting fuel cars. galaxy are amongst the very first formed in our universe. plastics, providing a potential Light-absorbing material is Segue-1, Bootes I, Tucana II solution to one of the world’s added to the plastic, before it and Ursa Major I are thought biggest environmental is placed in an alkaline solution to be over 13 billion years old. problems. and exposed to sunlight, Our universe is thought to be which creates hydrogen. The discovery could result 13.8 billion years old. in a recycling solution for Billions of tons of plastic Dr Alis Deason and Professor millions of tonnes of plastic are used each year and Carlos Frenk, from Durham bottles made of polyethylene only a fraction is recycled. University’s Institute for terephthalate (PET), which Most plastic bottles are Computational Cosmology currently persists for hundreds made from PET, which can (ICC), together with Dr of years in the environment. be recycled but is often Sownak Bose, from the burned or thrown into landfill. Professor John McGeehan, at Harvard-Smithsonian Center the University of Portsmouth, The beauty of the new for Astrophysics in the US, and Dr Gregg Beckham, process, which could be identified two populations at the National Renewable cheaper than recycling, of satellite galaxies orbiting Energy Laboratory (NREL), is that it can degrade all the Milky Way. solved the crystal structure of sorts of plastic waste, and Finding some of the very PETase – a recently discovered the plastic does not need first galaxies orbiting in the enzyme that digests PET – to be cleaned to produce Milky Way’s own backyard is and used this 3D information hydrogen gas. to understand how it works. the astronomical equivalent During this study, they of finding the remains of the inadvertently engineered an first humans that inhabited enzyme that is even better at the Earth. degrading the plastic than the It supports the current model one that evolved in nature. for the evolution of our The University of Portsmouth universe, the ‘Lambda-cold- and NREL collaborated with dark-matter model’, in which scientists at the Diamond the elementary particles that Light Source to create an make up the dark matter drive ultra-high resolution 3D cosmic evolution. model of the enzyme with the With the formation of the first synchrotron that uses intense galaxies, the universe burst beams of X-rays to act as a into light, bringing the cosmic microscope powerful enough dark ages to an end. to see individual atoms.

MODERNISING new polar research ship, the and autonomous underwater ANTARCTIC RESEARCH RRS Sir David Attenborough, vehicles, and will be the first and undertaking the full UK polar research vessel with The next decade will see modernisation of Rothera a helipad and moon pool. major investment in the UK’s Research Station, the main world-leading Antarctic NERC-supported Antarctic entry point for UK Antarctic research capability. The Natural research provides the UK with operations by air and sea. Environment Research Council vital understanding of how the (NERC)-funded British Antarctic The RRS Sir David Attenborough polar regions are responding Survey (BAS) is transforming will replace two existing polar to natural and human-driven how it supports frontier science research vessels, supporting pressures, and their impact with a £300-million Antarctic up to 60 scientists with on global climate. Infrastructure Modernisation state-of-the-art laboratories, Programme, launching the UK’s equipment including remote 38 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

SPOTLIGHT: BRILLIANT CIVIL SERVANTS – CIVIL SERVICE AWARD WINNERS 2019

Imogen Findlay, Senior Corporate Communications Manager, Cabinet Office

Members of the Department for Education’s Care Leaver Policy Team, with their Developing People Award, accompanied (right) by award presenter Elizabeth Gardiner, First Parliamentary Counsel CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 39

Reaching out The project team succeeded in getting buy-in from many LIFE-CHANGING government departments and OPPORTUNITIES private organisations in support The Department for Education’s of their aim. he 14th annual Civil Service Care Leaver Policy Team and HR Awards ceremony took The scheme in its current format T team took home the Developing place on Thursday 21 November started with a modest 15 care People Award. Working at Lancaster House, in central leavers, growing to 55 last year. together, they increased the London, hosted by Sir Richard This year, 225 internships are work experience offering for Heaton, Permanent Secretary available across 25 departments people leaving the care system, at the Ministry of Justice and around the country. As well as providing these individuals Awards Champion. reaching out across government with a valuable opportunity to to develop the internship offers, The awards recognise excellence experience the world of work the team worked with councils, and achievement by teams and and professional life in general, charities and other organisations individuals, and commitment and employment in the Civil that work with care leavers, to to the core Civil Service values. Service in particular. encourage these individuals to They reflect the full range These internships help apply for the internships and to of Civil Service activity, with participants to develop their support their applications. categories ranging from Policy work-based skills, increase to Operational Delivery, from The project team said of their professional confidence, Commercial to Innovation and their success: test their abilities, and consider Science, and from Citizenship pursuing a career in the Civil “We can make a huge impact by to Diversity and Inclusion. Service. The opportunities simply mobilising the support From “gobsmacked”, “so have been described as of our colleagues across pleased” and “incredibly proud”, “life‑changing”. government. A fairly modest to “very passionate”, “fantastic scheme or policy measure can Some 40% of care leavers aged recognition” and “we’re not go on to mature and grow into 19 to 21 are not in education, going to stop smiling for a something very powerful and employment or training, fortnight”, the winners were impactful. Use the beneficiaries compared to 13% for this age full of excitement upon hearing of the policy measure to help group overall in the rest of their names announced. They all improve, design and promote it.” society. The 2016 care leaver appeared to share the sentiment strategy, Keep on Caring, expressed neatly by one winner: recommended that government “I never thought it would be me.” departments and their agencies We take a closer look at some of should play a greater role the 2019 winners, and the work in offering work experience, that won them their awards. traineeships, apprenticeships and jobs to care leavers. We can make a huge impact by simply mobilising the support of our colleagues across government – DfE Care Leaver Project Team 40 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

[The Passport Office’s] Digital Customer Service has now received nearly five million applications, making it much easier for British citizens GOING THE EXTRA MILE the Digital Customer to apply for or renew their Service (DCS) for passport online The recipient of the Citizenship passport applicants. Award was Mairi Macneil of Presenting the award, – Clare Moriarty, Permanent the Department of Work Clare Moriarty, Permanent Secretary, Department for and Pensions. Secretary at the Exiting the EU Mairi was nominated thanks to Department for Exiting her work over many years with the EU, noted that DCS local charities and groups, which has now received nearly has helped in her day‑to‑day five million applications, role as a work coach at the making it much easier for British Stornoway Jobcentre in the citizens to apply for or renew Outer Hebrides, where she has their passport online. worked for 40 years. DCS replaces “the complex, During her Civil Service career, multi-section, paper form Mairi has created partnerships and the accompanying following media publicity with voluntary groups and 27‑page guidance note” with about passport renewal dates. organisations, securing tens a streamlined, online passport of thousands of pounds in application system which is The team’s success is funding for charities such as “designed around users’ needs attributable in part to its The Dyslexia Group, Enable, and to make application easier, working culture. Neil Carne, Western Isles Carers, Users and quicker and more accurate”. Portfolio Director, has “always Supporters Network. She works sought to help create an User satisfaction and savings energetically to raise awareness environment where people of the causes she cares about, Since the change, on average, can feel valued and make a particularly the issues facing applications now take fewer contribution using the skills unpaid carers and service than 10 minutes to complete and and experience that they have”. users around benefits, respite, user satisfaction rates regularly adult carer support plans, and top 95%. Because DCS helps MAKING MENOPAUSE hospital and social care services. HMPO to deliver processing SUPPORT THE NORM savings, digital applications Mairi currently works One group of civil servants are also £9.50 cheaper than with 50 carers, providing was recognised for, in Cabinet their paper alternatives. This personalised support within Secretary Mark Sedwill’s has also allowed DCS to reduce the local community. words, “effectively serving post‑application follow-up to twice”, as volunteers, above The award was presented by correct errors or request missing and beyond their professional Melanie Dawes, Permanent information by 50%, which roles. The Cross-Government Secretary for the Department will save £5 million per year. Menopause Network won the for Ministry of Housing, Scanning costs have also been Health & Wellbeing Award for Communities and Local reduced owing to 6.5 million its contribution to the welfare Government. She praised paper documents being of the Civil Service community Mairi for working “tirelessly eliminated from applications and wider society. to improve and support per year, an annual saving of the services provided for £2.6 million. Established in 2017, the network disabled people and the caring promotes awareness and The team has also won an IT community of the Western support in the workplace for industry award. Its user‑focused Isles”, and for campaigning colleagues going through the improvements included with “enthusiasm, energy, menopause, including launching removing delays from the determination and commitment” a set of guiding principles and process by introducing online for the most vulnerable in the a toolkit for managers and identity verification, allowing community, who are often colleagues. applicants to upload their unable to voice their needs own photograph, and having Network chair Bernice Allport and concerns. applicants sign their passport describes winning as recognition on receipt. This was particularly of how far the network has CUSTOMER-FOCUSED important in the run-up to the come in pushing its important DIGITALISATION UK’s prospective departure from agenda. She said: “Volunteering The Digital Award was won the EU in March 2019, when in a network that allows me to by the team from Her Majesty’s DCS was scaled to receive eight make a difference to the lives Passport Office who developed times the normal peak demand of my colleagues matters to me”. CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 41

The Awards FAIR AND FRIENDLY celebrate the very best of Tasked by the National Asylum Intake Unit with tackling our service. They also reflect the an ongoing problem in the challenges we have faced, the asylum process, the Midlands Intake Unit made “a significant skills we’ve applied to solving improvement in the service to difficult problems and the way in unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and vulnerable adults which we have worked together at remote locations”. For this achievement, the Midlands team – Sir Richard Heaton, won the Public Service Award. Permanent Secretary, The process has helped to Ministry of Justice clear a backlog in asylum applications. Appointments are now offered weekly, rather than fortnightly, within a seven- day period, rather than three to four months, and lasting one Consultation hour, rather than four to five. The network consulted on Jonathan Jones, Head of the The Midlands Intake Unit a review of Civil Service Government Legal Service, created a simple referral Employee Policy’s Attendance and Civil Service Health and mechanism and introduced Management Gateway product Wellbeing Champion, presented regular stakeholder that has helped to make the the award and highlighted engagement with clear Civil Service better for those the network’s positive work feedback loops. They also going through the menopause. in response to “both the lack improved the consistency and The review aimed to ensure of consistent, good quality quality of the production of that the menopause was support available for women Asylum Registration Cards, fully reflected in the product, experiencing menopausal which allows customers evaluating and supporting the symptoms across the Civil prompt access to services, and CIPD’s guidance on ‘Managing Service; and the provision developed asylum registration the menopause at work’. of advice available for line for Operation Innerste children This guidance was based managers to support health that allows local authorities to largely on the legacy of the and wellbeing requirements quickly access funding. Cross‑Government Menopause on this issue”. Working Group, driving an agenda where the provision of menopause support will be the normal working experience Awards Champion for all women in generations Sir Richard Heaton to come. speaking at the Civil Service Awards ceremony 42 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020

“Positively impressed” The team received positive comments after a visit by a Customer Service Excellence the Rising Star Award. This (CSE) assessor in early 2019. was a new category for 2019, The UK Visas and Immigration recognising a civil servant who CSE lead confirmed that has made a significant impact “the assessor was positively in the first eight years of their benefited numerous colleagues impressed with our operation Civil Service career. both in Seoul and in the wider at Yarl’s Wood (and so were Antonia highlighted Cindy’s Asia‑Pacific region. we!) and there may not be any “unflappable commitment, improvement suggestions from In her role as local and regional common sense and tremendous him”. The assessor specifically High Value Campaign (HVC) appetite for learning”, resulting commended the team’s method Champion, Cindy mentored all in her being recognised by of flexible interviewing, which HVC owners as they worked colleagues as “one of the best allows adjustments for children. through their forecasts and commercial officers in the plans, spreading best practice Duncan Gerrard, a Chief [regional] network”. Cindy is in approaches to forecasting Immigration Officer (CIO) in the credited with export wins in and encouraging innovative team, says that a key motivator excess of £150 million since approaches to marketing. for his work is “seeing that we 2014. She also delivered one The positive impact on HVC have made a difference, and of the first mega-tech missions delivery across the North East knowing that the vulnerable in the network in 2017, which Asia Region was recognised people we come into contact was subsequently replicated by the UK sector and business with now receive protection elsewhere in the Asia‑Pacific planning teams. and greater customer service region. as a result of our process”. Cindy puts great emphasis Personal development on the value of networking The team put treating their Cindy is clear on the value of and partnerships which, customers with dignity and learning and development to along with “choosing your respect at the heart of the career progression, and created battles carefully”, she believes, process they designed. Personal Development Plan allows you to focus on “what materials which she shared is essential and has a more THE VALUE OF PARTNERSHIP with the Regional Learning significant impact”. She enjoys Antonia Romeo, Permanent & Development team. Along feeling that she is “in the right Secretary for the Department with her drive to create a place to help and make a real for International Trade, dedicated L&D Room in the difference to people’s lives presented Cindy Kim with embassy in Seoul, this has and their businesses”. CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 22 – February 2020 | 43

ALL THE WINNERS Health and Wellbeing Award: The full list of 2019 winners Cross Government Menopause is as follows: Working Group, Cabinet Office

Citizenship Award: Commercial Award: Voluntary Mairi Macneil, Department Pricing and Access Scheme for Work and Pensions Negotiating Team, Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England Collaboration Award: Offender Accommodation Pilot Project, Innovation and Science Award: Ministry of Justice Troubled Families Evaluation and Policy Team, Ministry of Housing, Communication and Communities and Engagement Award: Local Government Digital Infrastructure Communications Team, Welsh Government Inspirational Leadership Award: Paula Holbrook-Witt, Developing People Award: Defence Science and Care Leaver Policy Team Technology Laboratory and HR Recruitment Team, Department for Education Policy and Use of Evidence Award: Digital Award: Ellen Lynch, Connie Smith, Digital Customer Service, Guy McGivern, Karen MacNee Civil Service Award winners HM Passport Office, (Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest), Home Office Scottish Government

Diversity and Project Delivery Inclusion Award: Excellence Award: Bristol Race Network, Marine and Fish EU Exit HM Revenue and Customs Programme Team, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Public Service Award: A big thank you Midlands Intake Unit, to everyone involved with the Home Office 14th annual Civil Service Awards for your achievements over the last Resilience and Rapid 12 months. The awards represent Response Award: Aeronautical Rescue the pinnacle of what civil servants Coordination Centre Blue do every day in the service of Watch, Maritime and the citizens of this country Coastguard Agency – Sir Mark Sedwill, Rising Star Award: Cabinet Secretary and Cindy Kim, Department Head of the Civil Service for International Trade

You will find details of all the award winners at: www.civilserviceawards.com/ winners © Crown copyright 2020 You may re-use this information (excluding images and logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ doc/open-government-licence/version/2/ or email [email protected]