HOW THE CIVIL SERVICE ANTONIA ROMEO ON HAS PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE FOR UK HOW THE CIVIL SERVICE ANTONIAEU EXIT ROMEO ON TRADE AND SHAPING THE FUTURE FOR UK HAS PREPARED FOR OUREU ROLE EXIT IN THE TRADEA RADICAL AND APPROACH SHAPING WORLD OUR ROLE IN THE TO TACKLING KNIFE TACKLING KNIFE WORLD CRIME IN SCOTLAND CRIME IN SCOTLAND

SUE OWEN: REFLECTIONS ON A REFLECTIONS ON A CIVIL SERVICE CAREER CIVIL SERVICE CAREER

STRENGTHENED BY ADVERSITY: HOW DEFRA RAISED ITS GAME IN RESPONSE TO EU EXIT

Issue 20 June 2019 Subscribe for free here: quarterly.blog.gov.uk #CSQuarterly CONTENTS

HOW THE CIVIL SERVICE HAS PREPARED Matthew Coats, Director General, EU Exit Implementation 4 FOR EU EXIT

A RADICAL APPROACH TO TACKLING Leslie Evans, Permanent Secretary, Scottish Government 8 KNIFE CRIME IN SCOTLAND

REFLECTIONS ON A CIVIL SERVICE CAREER Dame Sue Owen, former Permanent Secretary, 14 Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

SPOTLIGHT: DELIVERING THE UK’S FIRST Ahad Rawat and Maryke Jesudason, Government Economic Service 18 ECONOMICS DEGREE APPRENTICESHIP

DEVOLUTION AT 20: 10 LESSONS FOR Dame Shan Morgan, Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government 20 CIVIL SERVANTS

THE EXPERTS WHO ASK THE ‘WHAT IF?’ Martin Clarke, Government Actuary, and Chris Paterson, 24 QUESTIONS Government Actuary’s Department

EU EXIT: HOW DEFRA RAISED ITS GAME Tamsin Growney, Senior Policy Adviser, EU Exit Overview, Defra 30

WHAT MAKES FINLAND HAPPY? Päivi Luostarinen, Ambassador of Finland in the UK (September 36 2015 to May 2019)

MAKING THE CIVIL SERVICE A GREAT PLACE John Manzoni, Chief Executive of the Civil Service, and Permanent 42 TO WORK Secretary, Cabinet Office

AN INTERVIEW WITH... ANTONIA ROMEO Antonia Romeo, Permanent Secretary, Department for International 46 Trade

Civil Service Quarterly opens CONTACT US EDITORIAL BOARD up the Civil Service to greater [email protected] Sir Chris Wormald, Permanent Secretary, collaboration and challenge, Room 317, 70 Whitehall, Department of Health & Social Care showcases excellence and invites London, SW1A 2AS (chair) discussion. If the Civil Service is to Alex Aiken, Executive Director, be truly world-leading, it needs to Read the magazine online Government Communications collaborate more, learn from experts and subscribe for free – outside the Civil Service, listen more quarterly.blog.gov.uk David Halpern, Chief Executive, Behavioural Insights Team to the public and front-line staff EDITORIAL TEAM and respond to new challenges with Clare Moriarty, Permanent Secretary, innovation and boldness. Adam Thorndike, Cabinet Office Department for Exiting the European [email protected] Union Any civil servant can write for Civil Service Quarterly – contact Simon Holder, Cabinet Office Sir Richard Lambert, Chairman, [email protected] [email protected] Board of Trustees, British Museum Thanks to Shannen Catalan, John Pullinger, National Statistician Cover photo: ©Crown copyright Department of Health and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority MEDIA CONTACT Sam Beckett, Joint Head, Government Matthew Blom, Cabinet Office Economic Service [email protected] Charles Roxburgh, Director General, Financial Services, HM Treasury DESIGN BY DESIGN102 Jill Rutter, Programme Director, Institute for Government Contact us at: [email protected] www.design102.co.uk EDITORIAL

Turning to other matters, Civil Service Chief Executive Scottish Government Permanent John Manzoni considers how Secretary Leslie Evans recounts applying the principles of Smarter how policy towards tackling knife Working is supporting the wider crime in Scotland has undergone transformation under way to a sea change over the last create a brilliant Civil Service that decade, with striking results. is a great place to work.

Meanwhile, Sue Owen, retiring The latest of our articles focusing Permanent Secretary at the on civil services in other countries Department for Digital, Culture, comes from the outgoing Finnish Media & Sport, looks back at Ambassador to the UK, Päivi WELCOME TO THE 20TH a Civil Service career of great Luostarinen. She argues that EDITION OF CIVIL SERVICE variety and achievement. This her nation’s consistently high QUARTERLY. has taken in spells at No. 10, ranking in international measures HM Treasury and DFID, as well of happiness and stability lthough there is no formal as DCMS. She talks about the stems from a high-performing Atheme running through guiding principles of her career public administration based this edition, several articles and about what has changed - on values such as equality and either focus on or significantly and, in some cases, stayed the transparency. mention the work of the Civil same - over the course of it. Service to prepare government Returning to matters related to and the country for withdrawal Our Spotlight feature in this EU Exit, we close this edition with from the European Union and a edition is trained on the an interview given by Department new global role. Government Economic Service for International Trade (DIT) (GES), and its delivery of the Permanent Secretary Antonia In our lead article, Matthew UK’s first economics degree Romeo. Antonia talks about how Coats, Director General, EU Exit apprenticeship. A priority for DIT is helping to shape the UK’s Implementation, looks in detail the degree programme was to place in the world. at the wide-ranging preparations secure applicants from a diverse for withdrawal – in any scenario, range of backgrounds. Two GES including the possibility of leaving professionals describe how they with ‘no deal’. He reflects on the set about this. “scale and urgency” of the Civil Service response, characterised Twenty years after the creation by collaboration and shared of devolved administrations understanding of the issues. in Scotland and Wales, and Without this, he concludes, the the establishment of a new level of preparedness achieved by Northern Ireland Assembly, 29 March for ‘no deal’ would not Welsh Government Permanent have been possible. Secretary Shan Morgan lays out 10 lessons we have learned from Sir Chris Wormald, Permanent As one of the departments most devolution. Secretary, Department of Health affected by exiting the EU, Defra and Social Care offers a case study of how the The simple explanation of what Civil Service has “raised its game” actuaries bring to government is to prepare for it. Senior policy that they help decision-makers adviser Tamsin Growney gives to understand the challenges a detailed account of the depth around financial risk and and breadth of work required to uncertainty, spend wisely and ready the department, and how save money. As Government this has influenced the way Defra Actuary Martin Clarke explains, sees itself operating in the future. experts in his department make a vital contribution to issues that can affect us all, from the cost of pensions, to amounts paid out in personal injury claims, and planning financial assistance for those affected by natural disasters. 4 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

HOW THE CIVIL SERVICE HAS PREPARED FOR EU EXIT

Matthew Coats, Director General, EU Exit Implementation

Matthew Coats

The Civil Service has worked for well over two years to prepare for the UK to withdraw successfully from the European Union. In the run-up to 29 March, around 17,000 civil servants were working in EU-Exit-critical roles. They were working to progress over 300 workstreams designed to ensure that the UK is ready to leave the European Union in any scenario.

Of course, the date of the UK’s exit has now been extended, potentially until the end of October 2019. If a deal between the EU and UK is agreed and ratified in Parliament before that date, the UK could leave earlier.

While our planning for withdrawal continues, this extension gives us a natural point to consider how we have progressed this work to date. Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 5

PREPARING FOR ‘NO DEAL’ Taking the staff clearing hub as demonstrates the power of an example, the Civil Service HR shared understanding and HOW THE CIVIL SERVICE The Government’s preferred Function had long been working collaboration across the system. outcome has always been that with departments to establish a the UK leaves the EU with a deal. clear picture of demand for exit- Similarly, the communication In the six months prior to 29 related roles. By the end of 2018, campaign that preceded ‘no HAS PREPARED FOR EU EXIT March 2019, the focus of much of it had supported departments deal’ was almost unprecedented the Civil Service’s domestic work in the appointment of around in its scale and urgency. It saw was to make sure that the UK was 11,000 staff in just two years. 145,000 businesses contacted able to leave the EU in the event Early in 2019, when no-deal plans with advice on how to prepare for of there being no deal in place. were intensified, there was an no-deal customs procedures; the As has been said many times, urgent demand for 1,800 new publication of over 106 technical it’s only sensible to prepare for a staff to be placed into a range of notices to inform businesses range of possible outcomes, and no-deal roles. There simply was and citizens about what they given the potential unwelcome not enough time to advertise, may need to do to prepare for consequences that could arise interview, onboard and induct a no-deal scenario, on issues in a no-deal scenario, this was new staff into these posts, ranging from exporting items of a vital contingency measure. It meaning that a different solution cultural interest, to how the UK did, however, present an almost had to be found. would test medicines; and the unique challenge for both the creation of a new GOV.UK service Civil Service and the wider What the HR function did was to ensure people both inside and public service: how best to shift to match departments without outside the UK could understand from one scenario to another in a significant exit workload with the implications of no deal and the fastest possible time, while those that had a lot of work to how to prepare for it. accelerating delivery of a range of projects that This service involved not only had not previously been a vast amount of high-quality the primary operational information but the development focus of government. of an effective way to present it. It drew in staff from DExEU, CREATING A It’s only sensible to other government departments, SHARED CONTEXT Government Digital Service, and prepare for a range the Government Communication John Manzoni, the of possible outcomes, Service (GCS). The aim was Chief Executive of the to ensure that all parts of the Civil Service, brought and given the potential system were working to a together the Permanent unwelcome common standard and launching Secretaries from the consequences that information in a way that was departments most easily understood and accessed affected by EU Exit to could arise in a no-deal by the public. It serves as another exchange information scenario this was a vital example of the power of joint and ensure that working across the system. everyone was working contingency measure to a shared agenda. GCS established a These conversations communications hub that proved fruitful and acted as an editorial board for led directly to the exit-related communications, development of a range a fact-checking service, and a of products that formed vital link into the co-ordinating the basis of our no-deal planning. do in a no-deal scenario. These functions of government. All to The work this small group matched departments then ensure that announcements had initiated included shared planning worked with HR to move staff appropriate levels of agreement assumptions, the secondment from non-critical roles to critical and clearance in advance of a of staff between departments no-deal ones. Within three publication. Without this shared through a staff ‘clearing hub’, months, the 1,800 posts were effort, it is hard to imagine the and the identification of areas filled and, in fact, we had people communications campaign of concern for assurance and to spare who could be deployed succeeding to the extent that remedial action. should they be required in a no- it did. deal scenario. The level of collaboration IMPLEMENTATION fostered by this group was Without this collaboration, almost unprecedented in my time the UK would not have been While the work outlined above as a civil servant. ready to leave the EU without involves collaboration between a deal. Our preparedness departments, the work to ensure 6 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

that services were as ready WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED assure the programmatic as possible for a no-deal scenario elements of DExEU’s portfolio was largely led by individual The examples set out above of issues highlights that departments. barely touch on the scale of bringing policy specialists and the work undertaken in the six project specialists together to When the Civil Service began months prior to 29 March 2019. consider a problem generated this work two years ago, DExEU However, they do show where different insights and worked with departments to near unprecedented outcomes unlocked new solutions. That’s identify over 300 issues that have been achieved through also true where digital and would be impacted by the UK’s joining up across the system. commercial specialists have withdrawal from the EU. When assisted in solving problems no deal became a key focus It’s important to reflect upon in departments. In part, this is operationally, this list of projects what we can learn from this and a testament to the increasing and the reporting associated with how we can apply it to the future. maturity and capability of it became the basis of the centre’s To me, the principal lessons are the functions, but it is really a work on no-deal planning. as follows: lesson in having the humility to collaborate and respect one It saw departments reporting • Firstly, Cabinet Secretary Sir another’s expertise. back to the centre on progress in Mark Sedwill often refers to completing work on each issue, the Fusion Doctrine and how • Thirdly, the importance of and using the reporting process we can bring together all the common understanding to highlight where matters levers of the Civil Service to and a shared context should needed to be unblocked. bring about better outcomes. not be underestimated. The Each of the examples I excellent work of DExEU A subset of 43 programmes have cited shows that this to map out the entirety was identified by the Functional approach undoubtedly works, of the domestic EU Exit Support Team and the and that the more we can landscape made it possible Infrastructure and Projects do to bring together all our to identify cross-cutting Authority (IPA). Each programme national capabilities around issues and to understand was assured by the IPA to common problems, the more the pressures being placed generate 361 recommendations, we can achieve. This sense of upon departments as they to be worked on by departments shared purpose and teamwork progressed no-deal plans. to make sure the programmes must be maintained beyond Without this work it would were on track for delivery by 29 EU Exit so that we get the have been near impossible March 2019. best possible outcomes for for the HR function to help the country. departments transfer staff, for The Functional Support Team the IPA to assure programmes, then worked with departments or for the communication and the cross-government profession to develop and professions to ensure that launch a range of products so these assurance reviews and quickly. As we move forward, the associated actions were I sincerely hope we can keep meaningful. This was done by This sense of shared this shared context in place: linking up departments and purpose and teamwork it has proved to be a vital relevant interlocutors in each of must be maintained tool in the rapid and effective the functions – primarily GDS mobilisation of the Civil Service and the Government Commercial beyond EU Exit so that for this era-defining work. Function – to make sure the we get the best possible appropriate expert support to outcomes for the country. VITAL LESSONS resolve issues was provided. We’ve made good progress on The information generated was EU Exit and learned some vital also shared back to DExEU so lessons. These lessons have that unresolved issues were application beyond EU Exit. We highlighted and another lens on need to consider carefully how progress was provided. DExEU we will absorb them and ensure was able to use this information they are applied to the future. and that collected from • Secondly, EU Exit work has departments to prioritise underlined the importance of The months spent to prepare interventions and support policy specialist skills and getting the Civil Service for no deal were development. Once again, this the right people into the challenging for thousands of civil illustrates the power that joining right place at the right time. servants, but all involved should up the entire system can offer in The best outcomes were be proud of what was achieved solving shared problems. consistently achieved where and learnt in a relatively short staff with different skill sets period of time. were working on the same problem. The IPA’s work to Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 7 15,500 145,000 civil servants now working businesses which on EU Exit trade with the EU priority were contacted with areas information and guidance

Over 17,000 Published civil servants a paper on 300 were working in citizens’ rights, EU Exit critical workstreams giving people roles in the run- were designed clarity on the up to 29 March future

Signing civil nuclear Finalising Announcing the conclusion of agreements, including international two safeguards agreements 5 agreements with the International Atomic and introducing Energy Agency legislation

10new aviation agreements, including Brought forward legislation The publication with the US and Canada 106 that takes account of different of over technical notices scenarios including the to inform European Union (Withdrawal) businesses and Act, the Nuclear Safeguards citizens about what they may Act, the Sanctions and Anti- need to do to Money Laundering Act, and the prepare for a no- Haulage Permits and Trailer deal scenario Registration Act

DExEU worked with Over departments to identify over 300 100 issues that would be Appointed around pages of guidance on impacted by the processes and procedures UK’s withdrawal at the border in a no-deal from the EU 11,000 scenario staff in just two years 8 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

A RADICAL APPROACH TO TACKLING KNIFE CRIME IN SCOTLAND

Leslie Evans, Permanent Secretary, Scottish Government

Leslie Evans in conversation with young people during a visit to HM Young Offenders Institution Polmont, Falkirk Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 9

Here in Scotland we have an In response, the authorities important story to share, in took the bold decision to how we have reframed this form Scotland’s Violence problem and implemented a Reduction Unit (SVRU). This radical approach to tackling was Scotland’s first independent knife crime. As a result, key centre of expertise on the issue, decision makers – including funded by central government the Commissioner of the since 2006. Metropolitan Police and the Justice Minister for England A DIFFERENT APPROACH and Wales – have been looking to Scotland to learn about our The SVRU offered something experience of dealing with different. It was independent of knife crime. the police and so did not treat violence as a traditional law and The UK Government, the order matter. Rather, it viewed police and the authorities violence as a public health have refocused their efforts issue – as a “disease affecting to tackle the problem. There communities”. And because that has been political will from disease is caused by poverty, all sides and an impressive inequality and despair – issues range of initiatives deployed. that lie outside the bounds of A violence reduction unit has policing – the SVRU knew that been set up in London with an alternative approach was the promise of more to follow. required, one that dealt with Changes are being proposed the root causes of violence and to the laws governing offensive tried to prevent it happening in weapons. And community- the first place. based approaches have been introduced to provide The SVRU searched the world positive alternatives for young for possible solutions to tackle people who are most at risk Glasgow’s violence. This of becoming involved in knife included approaches being possession and knife crime. developed in Chicago (which involved mapping the epidemic THE SCOTTISH CONTEXT curves of violence, in the same way that this method is Each local context is unique, applied to containing infectious ver the last few months, and Scotland has its own diseases); and Boston (where OEU Exit has dominated particular experience of these gang members were given the the news and has led to an issues. Around 14 years ago, option to renounce violence unprecedented and intensive stabbings certainly seemed to and get into education or organisational response across be a ‘Scottish problem’, with work, or face tough penalties). all areas of government. But Glasgow gaining a dubious In both of these American another issue has never been reputation as the UK’s capital of cities, traditional enforcement far from the headlines. Knife knife crime. At that time, young measures were being used crime in England and Wales has men were routinely turning alongside preventative continued to rise, with the loss up at hospital emergency measures, in line with the of too many young lives. departments with horrific knife public health approach. wounds. Gang-related violence The statistics are stark. Last had become a depressing - and year, there were 209 knife- seemingly inevitable - way of related fatalities in England life for many. In 2005, both and Wales – the highest since the UN and the World Health records began in 1946. As I Organization published reports write, there have been over highlighting the issue and 20 fatalities from stabbings in Scotland’s appalling record on London this year – real people violent crime. and real families’ lives shattered. 10 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

From the outset, the SVRU’s The impact in Scotland has been sexual violence remain mantra was that violence profound. All the key indicators significant areas for concern is always preventable, not point towards a sustained – as does the often toxic inevitable. By diagnosing violent long-term reduction in levels relationship between alcohol behaviour much like any other of violence. Most recently, the and violence, which still features disease, the SVRU analysed the publication of Scotland’s Crime in the majority of serious causes, examined what works and Justice Survey showed that assaults in Scotland. and developed solutions. Once violent crime has reduced by evaluated, these solutions nearly half in the last decade. However, there has certainly were scaled up to help other Similarly, emergency hospital been a shift in our focus in communities across the country. admissions for assault fell by dealing with the problem. 55% between 2008-09 and Stop-and-search as an early PREVENTION AND 2017-18. During the same period, enforcement tactic had a role ENGAGEMENT the proportion of recorded to play but, in Scotland, the serious assaults cleared up by emphasis has not been on tough Iain Murray, who previously the police has increased from enforcement; our police and worked as a police inspector for 62% to 79%. Between 2006- authorities have long realised the SVRU, neatly summed up 07 and 2017-18 there has been that we cannot simply arrest this shift towards prevention in a a 65% decrease in crimes of our way out of the problem. As media interview. From the start, handling offensive weapons such, stop-and-search must be he says, the SVRU attempted to (not used in crimes against the used proportionately, alongside “understand what the problems person). a range of other measures, such are”: as prevention and education. RANGE OF MEASURES Above all, the absolute focus “The police for years had is on policing by consent and been experts at detection and However, we know violence community partnerships. This enforcement. I’d much rather remains a very real problem means that the police and be at the top of the cliff putting in Scotland. The Scottish authorities have actively sought a fence up, stopping someone Government and authorities to engage with young people at from jumping over, rather than know we must continue to work risk, built trust and forged better at the bottom of the cliff waiting hard to sustain the downward relationships with them. until they’ve jumped. That’s trend. Domestic abuse and the public health approach as far as I’m concerned. You’re engineering out issues, rather Police-recorded offences of handling an offensive weapon than waiting for them to not used to commit another crime, Glasgow City, 2008-09 happen.” to 2017-18

The SVRU was pioneering in another respect. It engaged 3000 directly with some of the most violent and disruptive young people in the country. 2500 It was – and still is – relentless in its approach. It drafted in 2000 former offenders - inspirational individuals - to share their experience. It encouraged 1500 team-building and fostered empathy. It showed that there were alternatives to lives 1000 impoverished by gangs, alcohol and toxic masculinity. 500 As a result, behaviours began to change. Threats were replaced 0 with respect. Rivalry and territoriality were replaced by 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 compassion and hope. And, very 2008-09 2009-10 gradually, some long-established gangs began to disperse. Source: Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2017-18

Leslie Evans with the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Iain Livingstone Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 11

CONNECTING WITH YOUNG In terms of youth justice, I saw the programme in action PEOPLE the Scottish Government is when I visited Edinburgh Royal pioneering the Whole Systems Infirmary and heard vivid and The Scottish Government has an Approach. This highlights unforgettable stories about how overarching policy aim to make the importance of different Navigators are empowering Scotland the best place to grow organisations and professions victims of violence and offering up for all our children and young working together to support them a helping hand at those people. As Permanent Secretary children and young people ‘reachable moments’. I was to the Scottish Government, before situations reach crisis inspired by the commitment and engagement with young people point. In Getting it Right for compassion from both medical is, therefore, central to my role, Every Child, we also have a and non-medical staff. One permeating everything that national approach for improving consultant summed it up when I do. Over the last few years, outcomes and supporting the she said it was “lovely, at last, I have been especially proud wellbeing of our children and to have hope for these patients of the way that the Scottish young people by offering the when they leave hospital”. Government has connected right help, at the right time, Kindness is a word that is directly with young people, not from the right people. not used often enough in the only through the SVRU but also context of public services, but through a range of programmes BREAKING THE CYCLE the work of Navigators certainly to prevent them from falling into has kindness and compassion at violent lifestyles. Programmes Since 2015, the Scottish its core. such as No Knives Better Government has also supported Lives, Police Scotland Youth a Navigator programme, now Volunteers, and Mentors in operational in four Scottish Violence Prevention all offer hospitals. The Navigators use young people opportunities to the opportunity provided when engage and for their voices to people with chaotic lifestyles be heard. are admitted to hospital, to break the cycle and help them gain access to vital services. Many of these individuals are repeat victims of violence. 12 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

NATIONAL PERFORMANCE sources, and support partners to creative and tenacious approach FRAMEWORK work together – collective and to improving outcomes. Above collaborative leadership with all, our experience in Scotland And kindness features in shared purpose. has taught us that we should Scotland’s recently refreshed treat violence as something to National Performance With the National Performance be cured rather than punished. Framework. The framework Framework as our North Star, This is the learning to share, has been in place for over we can be innovative in how and hold onto as we a decade, ensuring that all we tackle different issues, and address the policies are sharply focused on more joined up in our work. significant the achievement of national For example, new approaches challenges outcomes, with opportunities are being developed across which for all of Scotland to flourish. As Scotland’s public sector to remain. with all work on violence, the minimise the impact of adverse Navigator programme is aligned childhood experiences (ACEs). to the achievement of an As we know, ACEs can increase overarching national outcome the likelihood of experiencing (in this case, that “we live in violence in later life. communities that are inclusive, empowered, resilient and CURE NOT PUNISHMENT safe”). In this way, we describe the difference the approach Scotland’s pioneering work to will make, draw in funding tackle knife crime shows what and resources from different can be achieved when we take a

Above all, our experience in Scotland has taught us that we should treat violence as something to be cured rather than punished

A member of the Navigator programme, which is active in four Scottish hospitals. Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 13 14 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

REFLECTIONS ON A CIVIL SERVICE CAREER

Dame Sue Owen, former Permanent Secretary, Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

Events are arguably more important in the Civil Service than in most jobs - you have to be ready for anything Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 15

vents are arguably more That middle part of my career There were several bad moments. Eimportant in the Civil Service culminated as counsellor at our They included the kidnap of five than in most jobs. You have to embassy in Washington — the members of staff in the Ethiopian be ready for anything. In my only female at that rank or above. desert; visiting a school in North case, that included dealing I experienced the end of the Pakistan and realising the lookout with protestors throwing rotten Clinton presidency, the dead- guard at the back of the jeep we tomatoes at the Chancellor; heat 2000 presidential election, were riding in had a gun inside getting the RAF to chase off low- and the start of the George his tunic; and protecting our gay flying aircraft that were ruining a W Bush presidency. The job staff in Uganda. meeting; and welcoming my sixth ranged widely, from advising on Secretary of State in 5 years at 30 control of teenage pregnancy to There were some fascinating easy minutes’ notice. regulation of over-the-counter wins, too, such as how to control derivatives, and a monthly letter teacher absenteeism in remote I joined the Civil Service 30 years to the Bank of England. Basically, schools? The solution was to give ago, after a decade in academia. you needed to know who to ring. the kids a camera that records My research on the distribution And, of course, I was there for the date on every image. And of unemployment spells, and on 9/11, an extraordinary time to be how to get girls to school? Dig the implications of women’s lower in the United States. some latrines. lifetime earnings, had brought me in close contact with the RETURN TO THE TREASURY Continuing the large money Department of Health & Social theme, I moved to DWP – which Security (now the Department for In the final third of my career I has 90,000 people and a Work & Pensions), and it seemed moved from jobs where you do £200 billion budget – working a government role afforded a the work, into leadership roles, for three years with Ian Duncan much better opportunity to where everyone knows more Smith on his reform of the effect real policy change. A detail than you about everything, welfare state. (It’s little-known varied career followed, first as a but only you know how it all fits that his Labour predecessors had government economist, and then together. contemplated something similar.) in leadership roles. That role involved overseeing So, I returned to the Treasury one of the most important During 14 years at HM Treasury, in 2002 to lead the ‘five tests’ government behavioural I worked under Chancellors work on whether to join the economics ‘nudges’ – ‘automatic’ Lawson, Lamont, Clarke and euro. The decision not to do enrolment into private pensions, Brown. It’s not unusual there to so was universally acclaimed where inertia means most stay in move around a lot: I was involved as correct. While politics were their scheme. in the macro forecast, on labour important, the economics were market spending, on Germany clear, and several of my European INCREASING STAFF after we fell out of the ERM counterparts wished they had at ENGAGEMENT (Exchange Rate Mechanism), and least done the analysis to know on Europe from 1995 to 1998. In what was coming. In that job I I was promoted in October 2013 that last role I helped the new also managed the national debt. to Permanent Secretary at the Labour government run the EU It was so low at that time that then Department for Culture, presidency. This included the we were able to launch the first Media & Sport. My leadership UK chairing the meetings that index-linked 50-year government challenge there was existential – launched the euro; resolving the bond in 2005. how to justify a department of, competition between Trichet at that time, around 380 people, and Duisenberg to chair the BAD MOMENTS AND EASY with a staff engagement score of embryonic European Central WINS 45%, the lowest of all government Bank; and the European Council departments? Happily, we are that selected the countries After that, I was promoted to now at 1,200 staff, and enjoy eligible to join the euro. a chief operating officer role at 70% staff engagement, just the Department for International behind Treasury and DFID. We EXTRAORDINARY TIME IN Development (DFID). I worried did this by consolidating all the THE USA about a range of issues, from the digital, technology, data and data way our £10 billion aid budget protection policy from several Then, for a complete change, I was spent, to the safety of our departments into DCMS, as well worked in No. 10, recommending staff, most of whom are locally as responsibility for civil society. two weeks’ paternity leave – hired. something I’m very proud of, because it made a real difference for millions of families. 16 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

Accordingly, we are now the The work of DCMS has a First, flatter departmental Department for Digital, Culture, demonstrably beneficial impact structures and devolution of Media and Sport. on health, crime levels, education, responsibility. There is less and employment. High-speed checking and double checking, Just as important for me was broadband in rural areas which is good, as it makes jobs establishing a values-based, no- increases access to work for more interesting. However, to blame culture in which everyone marginalised people, and digital work better, government requires is respected, and that affords all progress generally enables more an inclusive culture – which I shall staff total responsibility for their to work from home. return to. work, knowing that others will help if something goes wrong. Then there are the personal, more Second, much better use of We now have the highest rate intrinsic or ‘wellbeing’ benefits evidence, with analysts and of inclusion in the annual Civil from participating in our sectors, experts integrated in policy Service People Survey. be it sport, the arts, or World teams. Indeed, there is greater War 1 commemoration. We are professionalism all round. We SOCIAL POLICY FRONTLINE also concerned with new areas of have true finance experts, not social protection such as internet generalists, in charge of the Our strapline is “driving growth, safety and gambling addiction. money; commercial experts doing enriching lives, and promoting procurement; programmes led by Britain to the world”. The DCMS is responsible for great experienced senior responsible domestic and global economies institutions, such as our national owners; and delivery folk involved have changed beyond all museums, galleries and theatres, in policy formulation at an recognition during my career. and for the Premier League early stage, rather than as an Indeed, creative industries now and the BBC, which all enhance afterthought. have a power that heavy industry our ‘soft’ power and Britain’s and manufacturing would have reputation abroad, which will be Third, Permanent Secretaries envied, even in their heyday. even more important beyond EU have far more varied career The sectors we are responsible Exit. backgrounds. I’ve personally for account for 15% of the UK worked in six departments, and economy, including the fastest- CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT only a couple of my colleagues growing sectors, and 25% of are departmental ‘lifers’. Most businesses. So what has changed over of us now have some outside the course of my career in experience, too. But the “enriching lives” aspect government? I would pick out a matters just as much, and we a number of things. Fourth, I would say leadership. are at the social policy frontline. There is much better appreciation that leaders with emotional intelligence are more likely to get the best from their people, to get along with ministers, and help the Civil Service cope with uncertainty and seismic change.

DIVERSITY SHIFT

...important for me was And last, not least, and particularly close to my heart, establishing a values-based, diversity, which I championed throughout my career. Happily, no-blame culture in which the dial has really shifted, with everyone is respected, and a realisation that diversity and inclusion is about better policy, that affords all staff total good customer service, and the improved performance that staff responsibility for their work, who feel valued will give. knowing that others will help if something goes wrong Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 17

When I joined the Senior Civil Service in 1995, it was 16% female – now it’s 44%. I had a female line manager for just one year in 30, but the chances of that LGBTi community, I persistently happening now are remote. turned up to their events and In recent times, I have rarely spoke on their behalf. And third, attended a meeting dominated focusing on the whole Civil by men; and meetings of the Service career pipeline, not just Permanent Secretaries are now the section leading to roles at generally 30% female. We have the very senior level. If all ethnic far to go on other aspects of minority staff aspire to roles diversity, but we appreciate the one grade above the one they throwing protestors opposed need for change. currently fill, we can change to the Maastricht Treaty and things for other underrepresented determined to wreck the EU People ask what I did personally groups, as we have for women. Finance Ministers’ informal to effect some of that change. meeting in York. Now, 20 years There are a few things I would AS YOU WERE on, my sixth Secretary of State point to. First, presenting arrived just a few hours after senior leaders with the data And what hasn’t changed? British Boris Johnson resigned over on diversity, and mining the ambivalence towards Europe. the Prime Minister’s proposed data to destruction. Second, approach to EU Exit. championing a group I wasn’t Back in 1998, and where I began part of. As straight ally to the this article, we had the tomato- Plus ça change... 18 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

SPOTLIGHT: DELIVERING THE UK’S FIRST ECONOMICS DEGREE APPRENTICESHIP

Ahad Rawat and Maryke Jesudason, Government Economic Service

“We get paid and we get a degree? What’s the catch?”

That was the question put GES economists Manraj Bhamra, HM Treasury; Lucia Slater, to Shamim Miah, one of the Department for International Trade (DIT); Olivia Goldin, DiT . economists at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, when he visited Acland Burghley school in North a real university, or that they DIVERSITY - THE West London to talk about wouldn’t be paid. But there’s no WATCHWORD the Civil Service economics downside. It is a job, a career and, apprenticeship. while you work, you earn towards Delivering that diversity was a full economics degree at the the watchword for Government “The students couldn’t quite University of Kent. Some were Economic Service Heads Sam believe the offer”, said Shamim, worried that it wasn’t for ‘people Beckett and Clare Lombardelli who is helping to roll out the like them’, but I’m from Tower when they decided to use the programme. “They thought there Hamlets and my message was opportunity of the apprenticeship must be some downside, like it’s they could all flourish in our Civil levy to open up new routes into not a proper degree, or not with Service.” the economics profession. Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 19

As well as the logistics of arranging teaching provision across the country, there has been the opportunity to design the economics curriculum to meet the practical needs of life in government.

“As well as the core academic content” notes Shamim ‘we’ve been able to add courses in public economics and key skills such as coding and data science, so we can be sure that our recruits have the skills needed for the job”.

“The GES has tended to be With a modest budget, the LOOKING AHEAD more diverse than many team focused on Instagram of the other routes into and Snapchat to engage the The first recruits received their government” they said, “but applicants, and Facebook to offers in early May, and the 75 we are always constrained influence their parents. We’ve successful candidates now have by the composition of those also been surprised with some of to wait until BTEC and A-level graduating from universities. the engagement we’re getting on results day in August to know if We saw the opportunity to use social media, especially around they have made the grade. the apprenticeship to influence Gladstone, the Treasury cat, student choices directly before who received 2,500 likes for his But, already, Sam and Clare see university to try and get greater posting on the apprenticeship. it as a success: “Our initial results diversity in the profession.” show we’ve been able to shift Getting to this point has been the dial on our diversity stats, And it seems to have worked. a huge, cross-profession effort particularly on gender, which Although the scheme started over two years. Over the past six is an area where economics with just 75 places, and a 6-week months, one team was running has traditionally struggled. But application window, it received the attraction campaign and we aren’t stopping now. We’ve some 2,500 applicants. working with the Government learned a lot, and we are going to Recruitment Service to design be even more ambitious for next “We were bowled over by the a set of selection tests to select year’s recruitment.” response” said Alison Kilburn, potential recruits. At the same head of the GES central team. time, a second group was “Not only did we have a huge working with the University of volume of applicants, but we Kent to design the programme. were able to attract a diversity in applications we haven’t traditionally seen in the GES and maintain that diversity throughout the assessment centres. Moreover, we’ve done so without sacrificing quality. We’ve rigorously tested these candidates and have been really pleased with the standards.”

DIVERSITY - THE REACHING THE TARGET WATCHWORD AUDIENCE

Delivering that diversity was Alison puts the attraction down the watchword for Government to the social media campaign. Economic Service Heads Sam “As analysts you’d expect us to Beckett and Clare Lombardelli try and understand the market, when they decided to use the but we spent quite a bit of time opportunity of the apprenticeship up-front working out how to levy to open up new routes into secure our target audience.” the economics profession. 20 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

DEVOLUTION AT 20: 10 LESSONS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS

Dame Shan Morgan, Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 21

2) THE LAWS OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

The system of devolution we have in the UK is a complex mix of devolved, partially devolved, and reserved matters. What I’ve seen throughout my Civil Service Dame Shan Morgan, Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government roles is that policy decisions and legislation in one nation can have significant and perhaps unforeseen consequences in Dame Shan Morgan another, even if it’s in a non- devolved area.

s we look back at two 3) NEVER ASSUME Adecades of devolution in the UK, one of my main Similarly, the different systems reflections from leading the civil of devolution mean that no two servants supporting one of the settlements are the same. None administrations, is that we have of us should assume that because learned a considerable amount an issue is devolved in one nation during the last 20 years. it must be in all of them. If in doubt, it’s always best to check. Here are 10 brief lessons from my perspective, but, I believe, with 4) IT’S A PROCESS NOT relevance for colleagues in every AN EVENT administration: It’s really important to remember 1) IT’S GOOD TO TALK that we work in an evolving and developing system of devolution. Since becoming Permanent In Wales, for example, the Secretary of the Welsh very limited powers devolved Government, I’ve been really in 1999 have grown over two impressed with the huge amount decades to include primary law- of dialogue there is throughout making powers and taxation. the Civil Service and across A commission is also currently the devolved administrations. examining the case for the I’ve experienced first hand how devolution of justice, showing problems and issues have been that the system is never resolved through discussions standing still. between colleagues at all levels; and how we can avoid weeks – or even months – of letters and emails by investing the time to talk things through. 22 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019 Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 23

5) LABORATORY UK

Devolution has given the 8) LEADERSHIP individual nations of the UK AT ALL LEVELS powers to implement new and innovative solutions to issues that It goes without saying that strong face us all. It’s an amazing chance leadership at the highest levels to learn about the way new ideas is vital. However, I’ve observed work in practice. So, taking the the power of excellent leadership time to look at developments in right across the Civil Service at other administrations can lead to all grades, in all functions and in richer, wider, and more practical all professions. We should never solutions for everyone. underestimate or take for granted the contribution our teams have 6) BEST PRACTICE SHOULD made to the devolution story. ALWAYS CROSS BORDERS 9) NEVER WASTE Regardless of the political A GOOD CRISIS differences between administrations, professional Collaborative, joint working is development is a priority that we often hard given the day-to-day all share. Again, I’m impressed by pressures we all face. But I’ve the way that different professions seen how a crisis draws people share information, expertise, together and accelerates the best practice and training across kind of working together that governments to the benefit of all we all want to see – Brexit being of us. the ultimate example. Not only does this put us in a far better 7) KEEP YOUR HEADS WHEN position to respond collectively ALL AROUND YOU… to the issue at hand, it develops partnerships and ways of working For me, one of the great that are invaluable for the future. strengths of the Civil Service is that, even when there is 10) A SMALL COUNTRY political conflict, colleagues CAN LEAD THE WAY can maintain valuable co- operative relationships and avoid Wales is a nation of 3 million personalising issues. people and perhaps the biggest We all fully reflect the positions step we’ve taken over the past of our different governments, but 20 years is to realise the impact in a way that is measured and we can have both at home and respectful at all times – that’s across the world. Devolution why the UK Civil Service is highly has given our ministers the admired around the world. opportunity to develop home- grown, ground-breaking policies and approaches, such as opt-out organ donation and the Well- being of Future Generations Act. 24 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

THE EXPERTS WHO ASK THE ‘WHAT IF?’ QUESTIONS

Martin Clarke, Government Actuary, and Chris Paterson, Government Actuary’s Department Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 25

WHAT IS AN ACTUARY AND WHAT DO THEY DO?

Put simply, actuaries help the government spend wisely and save money. Using statistical techniques and mathematical skills, they assess the probability of actuaries in government was Martin Clarke, Government Actuary, and Chris Paterson, of an event and its financial formally recognised, leading to Government Actuary’s Department consequences. the founding of the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD). Martin Clarke, Government Actuary Experts in GAD help public sector clients understand complex The Government Actuary and ur country and challenges around financial risk a team of specialist actuarial Ogovernment face many and uncertainty. This includes, professionals are still working challenges, which are almost for example, the longer-term hard in government today. defined by their uncertainty implications of climate change, Because actuaries deal in long- and require specialist help in and developments in human term issues, some of the areas risk and finance. longevity. we work in are the same now as they were 100 years ago. For Questions we need to Actuaries ask, then analyse example, we continue to advise address include how we pay and advise on, the ‘what-if’ on how to pay for Civil Service for pensions in the future, questions around public sector pensions and on the planning of and how we best help pension schemes, insurance National Insurance funds. Our developing countries deal and investment markets, and mission to support effective with the fallout from natural undertake financial modelling and decision-making and robust disasters exacerbated by quality assurance. reporting within government has climate change. What are the also broadened our work into biggest financial risks facing UNCERTAIN FUTURES new areas. the country in the next 30 years? How do we plan to In 1919, the UK faced an FINDING THE ANSWERS decommission our ageing uncertain future of a different nuclear power stations? kind following the conclusion of Experts in GAD have been World War 1. To be fit for the new seeking to understand where More immediately, as a peacetime priorities, government our knowledge of financial risk country we must also consider had to be reorganised. It was in and uncertainty, investments, how our approach to these the landmark Haldane Report of insurance and mathematical and other questions changes the Machinery of Government modelling can help other once we exit the European Committee – which set the government departments. Union. Who does the Civil pattern for much of the modern We have found lots of answers Service turn to for specialist form of government we are to this in the past few years. help in these areas? familiar with today – that the role

Put simply, actuaries help the government spend wisely and save money 26 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

ACTUARIES AND ANALYSTS We work for departments in These liabilities are made up of a IN GOVERNMENT many areas across government, wide range of explicit or implicit including: promises and guarantees made. GAD’s actuaries and analysts For example, a promise to pay are part of the Civil Service’s • advising the government on pensions in the future, or to step Analysis Function, alongside the cost of pensions in if losses on a contract get other analytical professions beyond a certain point. Having including economists, engineers, • building the methodology to built up knowledge through the operational researchers, help investors decide what to review of these liabilities, we saw scientists, social researchers, pay for student loans the opportunity to work with statisticians and data scientists. other government departments • modelling the risk to enable to share best practice in The Analysis Function is the planning of financial help for managing liabilities and help lead “go-to hub for best practice people who need it most after co-operation and co-ordination research and analysis services natural disasters of effort. within Government”.1 Within that, the actuaries in government are • building understanding of the So, in February 2019, GAD and concentrated in GAD to provide cost of helping passengers get HMT held an event where the critical mass for advice, challenge home if their airline becomes people responsible for taking and insight based on evidence to insolvent on and managing financial help client departments deliver liabilities in their departments improved outcomes. • advising on how to determine could share their experiences. the amounts paid out in These included stories on We aren’t the only actuaries personal injury claims liabilities from drought risk in in the public sector, however, developing countries, flood risk to and we are seeking ways to WORKING ACROSS academies, and local government collaborate on leadership and GOVERNMENT risks. Cross-departmental groups learning with other actuaries collaborated to come up with in the sector. These include Experts at GAD provide specialist new ideas and approaches. actuaries in the Prudential knowledge and advice on the Regulation Authority (part liabilities held across government. Following this event, GAD and of the Bank of England), the This work was part of the recent HMT continue to work with Financial Conduct Authority, the balance sheet review work departments to look at how Pension Protection Fund, and the carried out by HM Treasury liabilities can be managed in line Pensions Regulator. (HMT). with best practice. This helps protect the government against unnecessary financial losses, as well as helping to compensate for the risks it takes on.

A NEW ASSET CLASS

In December 2017, the UKGI chose GAD’s approach government began the sale of of offering both modelling student loans to private investors. accuracy and simplicity, ahead This was the first sale of this type of competitors’ proposals. We 1 https://assets.publishing.service. gov.uk/government/uploads/ of loan and, as a result, created built a new, statistically based system/uploads/attachment_ a new type of investment asset computer model, taking into data/file/742625/P19650_ Analysis_Function_Document_ in the UK. The challenge for account the needs of UKGI and landscape_HI_RES.pdf UK Government Investments the other stakeholders. (UKGI) was to put a value on this new asset, in a way that We worked side-by-side with was transparent, accurate, and UKGI at their offices and have could be shared with interested established a secondment investors. Doing this would allow programme, which continues to UKGI to achieve best value for operate and provide financial money for the sale. modelling expertise. The model enabled the first sale of its type and continues to support further loan sales. Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 27

DISASTER PROTECTION

In 2017 the Prime Minister © Marisol Grandon/Department announced the creation of the for International Development Centre for Disaster Protection. Based in the City of London, it is funded by and is a close partner of the Department for risk-financing programmes in shock-responsive means that, International Development (DFID) developing countries. These in the event of weather-related and the World Bank’s crisis and programmes are designed to get shocks such as drought, the disaster risk financial London hub. the money quickly and efficiently programme scales up to provide The centre works to find better to those hardest hit by drought, cash payments to those affected; ways to prevent disasters from flood and other disasters. for example, if their crops fail. devastating lives and economies, supporting countries to manage In 2018, GAD provided analysis GAD’s analysis looked at how disaster risk. for the World Bank to help with the shock response could be their work to strengthen Kenya’s financed by assessing the amount GAD provides analytical Hunger Safety Net Programme. of funding required and the capability to the centre, building The programme, supported by likelihood of it being needed. This on work we have done in the both the World Bank and DFID, was used to inform and guide past few years in this area provides ‘shock-responsive’ social the policy dialogue between the both for DFID and the World protection, supporting chronically World Bank and the Government Bank.2 Our analytical expertise poor people in northern Kenya of Kenya. and understanding of risk with regular unconditional cash have allowed us to help set up transfers. In this case, being

2 https://quarterly.blog.gov.uk/2016/11/01/insurance-as-a-tool-to-fight-poverty/ 28

HELPING REGULATORS TO GAD provides actuarial support While this is a relatively small HELP CONSUMERS to economic regulators such piece of work for us, it makes as Ofgem, the Utility Regulator a real difference for others in Economic regulators typically Northern Ireland, and the Civil government. We have spoken set price controls on the Aviation Authority to help them to procurement teams across companies they regulate, to limit do this. Our work provides the government to ensure the the maximum revenue the firms regulators with an informed guidance meets their needs. They We punch above are permitted to earn. This is to view of the relevant pension have shown a keen interest, as protect consumers in industries arrangements, to help them work this is a complex area where they our weight when it where there is a monopoly or a out the allowance to be made for often need help. comes to making low level of competition, such as pension costs when setting price utilities. As part of this process control limits. WHAT ABOUT EU EXIT? decisions around the regulator has to consider a company’s often significant LITTLE THINGS TO HELP At this point you might be asking, risk, uncertainty and pension commitments, to ensure EVERY DAY what about EU Exit? Will there that unnecessary pension costs be areas where GAD’s specialist financial complexity are not passed on to consumers. When procuring services, advice can help with the government professionals rely uncertainty here? on central guidance on how to set up contracts, including We have begun to help in some managing the associated risks. areas, such as looking at how GAD has been working with the travel insurance and pension Government Legal Department arrangements will be affected. and the Cabinet Office to write We anticipate that, as the focus new guidance to help in this area. of government action moves from The guidance will help make short-term planning to longer- it easier to think about what term issues, we will have much insurance is (or isn’t) needed. more to contribute. The changing nature of our relationships with EU countries will affect how we take on and regulate risks to the country and government, and our goal is to be there to help when departments need us. Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 29

While this is a relatively small piece of work for us, it makes a real difference for others in government. We have spoken to procurement teams across government to ensure the guidance meets their needs. They We punch above have shown a keen interest, as this is a complex area where they our weight when it often need help. comes to making WHAT ABOUT EU EXIT? decisions around At this point you might be asking, risk, uncertainty and what about EU Exit? Will there be areas where GAD’s specialist financial complexity advice can help with the uncertainty here?

We have begun to help in some areas, such as looking at how travel insurance and pension arrangements will be affected. We anticipate that, as the focus of government action moves from short-term planning to longer- term issues, we will have much more to contribute. The changing nature of our relationships with EU countries will affect how we take on and regulate risks to the country and government, and our goal is to be there to help when departments need us.

LOOKING FOR CERTAINTY IN With fewer than 200 people in AN UNCERTAIN WORLD our small department, we punch above our weight when it comes As well as celebrating our to advice on making decisions centenary this year, GAD is around risk, uncertainty and helping other departments with financial complexity. We look specialist advice to help make forward to the challenges of better decisions. We are still doing so for the next 100 years. evolving – investing in new ways to share our analysis through advanced data analytics and tackling new areas for actuaries such as disaster risk finance and climate change. 30 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

EU EXIT: HOW DEFRA RAISED ITS GAME

Tamsin Growney, Senior Policy Advisor, EU Exit Overview, Defra

Without doubt, preparing for EU Exit has changed our organisation, culturally and structurally, and we are determined to retain the positives of that change Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 31

t’s widely known that Defra is BREAKING NEW GROUND portfolio. We intend to ensure Ione of the departments most that this valuable skillset affected by EU Exit. We are also Given the volume and complexity continues to grow as we go one of the departments that will of what we needed to do, we forward into the next phase of EU be most changed by EU Exit. know that we were as ready as Exit. As the extension of Article 50 we could have been for a ‘no- allows us to take a breath, the deal’ exit in March or April 2019. We laid 122 statutory instruments department is taking stock of in seven months, and completely this change, and how to retain We had built brand-new IT changed the way we deal with and build on our enhanced systems to protect UK trade them (previously we had laid 70 relationships and new capabilities. across a range of industries, to 80 a year). We reprioritised including animals and animal business-as-usual Statutory THE SCALE OF THE products, fish, veterinary Instruments (SIs), to make way CHALLENGE medicines, and chemicals, for EU Exit SIs; worked closely including fluorine and ozone- with devolved administrations For Defra, the task of preparing depleting substances. Bucking to clear SIs before they were to leave the EU was daunting, the trend in large-scale laid in Parliament; sourced to say the least. Nearly all of our government IT projects, they staff from other government responsibilities are framed by EU were all delivered in record departments to ensure we legislation, and a quarter of EU time and have received positive kept up pace and quality; and laws apply to our sectors. With feedback from industry, ran training sessions for policy policy responsibility for major customers and partners. officials to ensure all understood areas of the UK economy, such the parliamentary process. Our as food and chemicals, our EU We broke new ground in terms of secondary legislation team Exit portfolio is varied and wide. how we worked with our business produced centralised core We’ve needed to establish new and delivery partners, using agile briefing for policy officials to help arrangements for the import delivery techniques to overcome in the preparation of materials and export of animals, and a unique challenges. Our new for affirmative debates. And our new regulatory function for the digital services, forged in the fire primary legislation team designed chemical industry; work on major of EU Exit, have taken both our and ran training sessions for new policies for agriculture, internal digital skills and those of policy officials, including mock fisheries and the environment; our customers to a new level. debates. and execute a formidable legislative programme. We built a vastly improved BUILDING TRADE project management skillset, CAPABILITY As the possibility of a ‘no-deal’ running targeted training exit became palpable, the need programmes, as well as Together with Whitehall to mitigate the risks it presents establishing and publicising colleagues, we have sought to to businesses, communities and a project delivery community position the UK economy on families became urgent. in order to deliver the EU Exit the front foot by building trade capability. Over the past two years we have created the Defra Trade Cadre, a network of almost 500 people whose work involves trade in some way. We work really “[Defra] is a key player within closely with the Department for government in negotiations on International Trade (DIT) and the withdrawal agreement and the Foreign & Commonwealth the future relationship with the On top of this, it has to manage Office Trade Faculty to deliver EU, in future trade agreements, a sizeable legislative programme, masterclasses and other learning border planning and in agreeing including two major pieces events as part of the new cross- future arrangements with the of new primary legislation on Whitehall International Trade devolved administrations. It is agriculture and fisheries, continue Profession. responsible for 43 of the 300- its business as usual, and achieve plus Brexit-related workstreams efficiency savings of £138 million across government. Almost half in 2018–19.” of these have an IT component, and some require establishing Report of the Public Accounts entirely new bodies to take over Committee (PAC) of the UK EU regulatory functions. Parliament, May 2018 32 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

This coalition of staff has left a blueprint for collaborative working that thrives in a fast- paced and rapidly changing environment, and can be stood up again if required.

We benefited from the co-ordinated movement of staff from other government departments into key EU Exit projects, particularly as we increased our focus on ‘no-deal’ readiness. This showed the Civil Service operating at its best, moving experienced and skilled people to where they were most needed.

Our experience in Defra was that volunteers were highly Visitors at an event in Shanghai to promote UK food and drink exports enthusiastic and capable, and able to add value from the Many Defra trade professionals EMERGENCY STAFFING moment they joined. Staff from work in our Bristol and York other government departments offices, so we are promoting Building on Defra group were vital in being able to stand e-learning. Our learning products expertise and experience in up our emergency centre at pace – including two new e-learning incident response, we stood and supported a range of key EU modules about agriculture, food up an emergency centre. With Exit projects. and trade – are accessed by support from other government hundreds of colleagues every departments, as part of We’ve also built a workforce and month. We’ve also developed a impressive cross-departmental a leadership cadre with a truly cross-Whitehall Women in Trade collaboration, Defra filled 100 impressive professional range, initiative with DIT. This makes emergency centre roles at pace. putting Defra in a good position the most of the founding of a We have been able to stand this to meet future challenges. new profession in Whitehall, down quickly and smoothly. encouraging equal opportunity from the start, as well as showing the rest of the world what to expect from the UK on trade policy.

We are extremely grateful to colleagues across the Civil Service who volunteered to support Defra with our vital no-deal work, and to their home departments who reprioritised work in order to release people. This has been an example of great public service professionalism, and the Civil Service at its best.

Defra Permanent Secretary, Tamara Finkelstein Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 33

HOW WE DID IT welcomed weekly face-to-face genuine partnership between engagement with ministers. This the scenarios team, policy teams We didn’t – and couldn’t – do it fostered frank and pragmatic and analysts right across the on our own. The collegiate way discussions in a confidential department, all working at pace. in which departments helped us, environment. Communications and in which departments liaised professionals from stakeholder SUPPORTING OUR PEOPLE and collaborated, is a fantastic bodies were also immensely example of the Civil Service helpful in shaping our All our achievements are down to working together in the interests engagement so that it would land our people. We knew we needed of the public. Within Defra, we’ve effectively with target audiences. to support them well as they identified the key actions that The approach was recognised as delivered for the department. have meant success. best practice in an independent This was partly about ensuring Cabinet Office review. people felt equipped with the First, we joined up policy with skills they needed to play their delivery more. Many EU Exit We set up a scenarios team to part – legislative or parliamentary projects have been genuine identify the plausible scenarios learning, training on incident collaborations between the of a no-deal exit and test management and emergency department and arm’s length those scenarios with policy response, or more broadly bodies. teams; not only to identify the on leading in an ambiguous anticipated impacts, but also the environment. It was also about We set up a portfolio potential policy responses and supporting their wellbeing as management office to monitor, interventions. they weather the pressure, pace track and report on progress; and uncertainty. and manage the flow of statutory The No Deal Policy Playbook instruments. contained 32 ‘issue cards’: statements of the key risk, the To improve our project delivery events that could trigger the risk, capability, we joined corporate and the anticipated impacts. Over recruitment campaigns – and 100 potential interventions were ran our own – to bring people identified to mitigate these risks. in, eventually recruiting 450 This represented an enormous project delivery professionals. amount of information gathered In the meantime, we brought from policy teams and analysed in contractors to help us put and refined with those teams. As in place key governance, the political context changed, the planning and processes. We playbook helped policy teams strengthened our Defra Project to reprioritise their intervention Delivery Profession through a options. This work could not targeted training programme, an have been done without a online community hub and the successful launch last year of a new Project Delivery Leadership Academy.

AUDIENCE-FOCUSED APPROACH

We developed an audience- focused approach to our priority business sectors (food and drink, farming, fishing, vets and chemicals) and used many channels and intermediaries to get messages to audiences, tracking our level of engagement. Key stakeholders particularly 34 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

Without doubt, preparing for EU Exit has changed our organisation, culturally and structurally, and we are This isn’t to say that we solved determined to retain the positives the wellbeing challenge. of that change. We are engaged Preparing for EU Exit has been in a lessons-learned exercise, intense, and stress has been collecting reflections, stories and We engaged with colleagues unavoidable. There has been learnings across the organisation, across the organisation to great pride in our successes; and from teams and individuals, develop agreed ways of also anxiety and fear of failure. to help us understand what working with each other to Part of our lessons learned work these changes mean for the maximise collaboration and is to enable people to be honest organisation and its people in the positive working practices. We about the impact this work has longer term. In order to maintain encouraged conversations at had on them, share stories and and build on our new capability, one-to-one, team, and directorate identify how we can create a we need to maintain morale, levels about how people were working environment that works and to bottle the team spirit feeling and how things could be for everyone. and dedication displayed. And better. We supported individuals we need to maintain our much- and managers with tips, toolkits, NOT OVER YET strengthened relationships with training, conversation starters, our sister departments. checklists, and people to talk Defra has stood down emergency to. We were also realistic and, operations, as has been done EU Exit has challenged the whole recognising that some colleagues across government. With the UK Government to do things need additional support, ensured Extension of Article 50 to differently, adapt quickly and easy access to coaching and 31 October, the challenge for invest more in the development employee assistance support. all government departments of our people, in order to ensure is to be ready for a negotiated good outcomes, whatever settlement, while retaining our the eventual exit route from readiness for no deal. We need the EU. In Defra, our response to ‘be with’ the uncertainty for and learning gained through a short period and not rush into this period of ambiguity and DEFRA EU EXIT BEHAVIOURS the next phase. We need to unprecedented change have CHARTER: help people adjust to a slower helped to develop the way we pace, while maintaining the see our department delivering in • work together to get the job necessary focus, and to manage the future. done expectations and anxiety about what happens next. • have honest conversations, trust each other and assume positive intent

• take collective responsibility

• be kind and look after our own and each other’s wellbeing

© Natural England/Peter Wakely Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 35 36 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

WHAT MAKES FINLAND HAPPY? Päivi Luostarinen, Ambassador of Finland in the UK (September 2015 to May 2019)

For the second year in a row, Finland has been ranked as the world’s happiest country in the annual UN World Happiness Report. Finland’s former Ambassador to the UK argues that her country’s consistent good performance in various international rankings stems from its well-functioning public administration, based on values such as equality and transparency. Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 37

Finland’s reinvention was enabled the world to grant all women full by a strong societal commitment political rights, including the right to equality, a problem-solving to vote and stand for elections. mindset, transparency and In the new parliament elected in consensus-based political April 2019, 46% of the MPs are decision-making, even in times women. However, equality goes of crisis. It also aimed to provide far beyond issues of gender. It high-quality education for all. also concerns equality between different socio-economic groups, We are now facing many of minority rights and regional the same challenges as other equality. European countries: climate change, demographic change, Secondly, an effective and urbanisation, technological inclusive education system helps change, falling trust and the risk the Finnish public to understand of growing inequality. However, and evaluate the decision- those same principles continue making processes, strengthens For the second year Päivi Luostarinen to form the basis of our society their media literacy, and enables in a row, Finland has been and our public administration. them to safeguard their rights ranked as the world’s happiest As such, Finland’s response has as citizens. Therefore, the basis country in the annual UN World inland’s modern and functional been to work systematically of equal opportunities and Fgovernance model is the result towards equality, while focusing participation has always been Happiness Report. Finland’s former of a long historical development. on sustainability and ensuring a to provide access to high-level Ambassador to the UK argues that her secure and stable society. education for all. country’s consistent good performance The country established its own in various international rankings public administration in 1809, TRUST KEEPS OUR SOCIETY Thirdly, public administration in connection with the transfer TOGETHER needs to be open, transparent, stems from its well-functioning from Swedish rule to the Russian inclusive and comprehensible for public administration, based on Empire as an autonomous Trust counts as important citizens to trust it. Transparency values such as equality and Grand Duchy. As a result, by capital in Finnish society. Strong and openness of information transparency. the time Finland acquired its traditions of trust building also helps fight corruption, and independence, in 1917, it already have helped Finland reach ensures that citizens and civil had a century’s experience of consensus on how to address society can contribute to the running its own administration, many major policy challenges development of society. Free and had built long-term links in the past. Citizens’ confidence and independent media, and with wider Nordic administrative in government in Finland is responsible journalism, are also culture. still among the highest of crucial in informing citizens and OECD countries, though it has monitoring how the principle of At the start of the 20th century, decreased since the financial transparency works in practice. though Finland had its own crisis. national economy, currency, These elements still require parliament, education system Societal trust in Finland is determined, efficient and and cultural life, it was still one underpinned by three key persistent effort and deliberate of the poorest and most agrarian elements: equality, education and decisions as we tackle new and countries in Europe. Therefore, transparency. emerging challenges. the country’s transformation from a modest developing economy Firstly, simple things like Finns Continuing to engage citizens to one of the world’s wealthiest, being able to interact directly in the ongoing development happiest, modern nations is a with one another, and aiming of society supports trust and great success story. for everyone to have equal confidence. Finland has a strong opportunities to succeed, are civil society and a well-anchored examples of how equality tradition of participative decision- supports trust. making, which includes a wide range of groups, including NGOs In terms of gender equality, and businesses. However, citizen women have long been active participation remains a challenge members of society. In 1906, – though it must be mentioned Finland was the first country in that at Finland’s parliamentary election this spring, voter turnout was the highest since 1991, at 72%. 38 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

One good example of citizen Finally, the principle of Finland has well-developed participation has been Finland’s transparency in Finland goes research and analysis practices, sustainable development policy, back to 1766, when Sweden, of both to ground new policies in which has succeeded in involving which Finland was then part, evidence and to continuously different societal groups. As a became the first country in the analyse whether existing policies result, sustainable development world to implement an Act on are effective and relevant. has become a widely accepted the openness of administration. Research-based experiments aim. This success is based on a To ensure a high level of trust, are key in innovative public holistic approach and strong government structures and administration. The Government co-operation between a variety practices must be known and has been promoting an of different actors. understandable to citizens. experimental culture, which can promote both efficiency and PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION The Finnish public administration empowerment. During the past ENHANCING THE CORE has invested in communication few years, Finland has been VALUES – AND CONSTANTLY activities including publishing experimenting with, for example, IMPROVING ITSELF information online, engaging basic income, digital solutions with citizens on social media and and local services. Equality, education and encouraging all civil servants to transparency are conspicuous take media training. It has also International co-operation – core values in the Finnish Civil created participation services sharing experiences and learning Service. and electronic tools to support from each other’s expertise – can open discussion of policy issues be key for successfully tackling Finland employs a little over and how they are to be tackled. the challenges we face. Finland 70,000 central government Online services are collected and the UK have collaborated personnel, of whom around 49% under one portal, Demokratia.fi, successfully in many areas, from are women. In the Finnish Foreign which also provides up-to-date gender and human rights issues, Service, women make up about information on the stages of to climate and international 45% of ambassadors and over policy decision-making and law- security – and we should extend 50% of the 560 diplomats. drafting. this to co-operation in the field of public administration. Civil servants are well educated. While our core values remain Over 33% of central government stable, public administration personnel have a Master’s degree needs to innovate and improve or higher qualification. continuously to tackle emerging challenges.

The Government has been promoting an experimental culture, which can promote both efficiency and empowerment Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 39

FINLAND TODAY • Finns consume more coffee • Fourth most gender-equal per head than any other country in the world, • Population: around 5.5 nation according to the World million Economic Forum • Finland has the third-least • Area: 338,440 km2 corruption in the world, • Second best country to be according to the Corruption a mother, according to Save • Capital city: Helsinki Perceptions Index the Children

• The most stable country in • For the second year in a • One of the world’s most the world, according to the row, Finland ranked as the literate nations, and among Fragile States Index happiest nation in the World the most enthusiastic users Happiness Report in 2019 of public libraries • The best governance in the world, according to the • Has around 188,000 lakes Legatum Prosperity Index and at least 1.6 million 2018 saunas 40 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 19 – June 2019

FINLAND AND THE UK

• Finland and the UK celebrate 100 years of diplomatic relations this year. The UK formally recognised Finland’s TOM DODD, BRITISH independence on 6 May 1919 AMBASSADOR TO FINLAND, SAID: • Finland and the UK have co-operated closely in The British Embassy in Helsinki international forums, is delighted to celebrate especially on gender, the milestone centenary of human rights, climate and diplomatic relations throughout international security issues 2019. Finland has always been a strong partner for the UK in • The UK is Finland’s 7th- trade, culture, education, research biggest trading partner and on many global issues.

• Around 5,000 UK nationals The ties between our countries live in Finland, and around were first established almost 25,000 Finns in the UK 1,000 years ago, well before Finland joined the EU in 1995, • Last year, over 500,000 and will continue long after Britons visited Finland, and the change in our relationship over 200,000 Finns visited with the EU through Brexit. the UK The patron saint of Finland was population. We continue to stand English. Finland’s first factory should-to-shoulder to defend the was founded by a Scot. We have rules-based international system a similar sense of humour and a against all those who would seek common national resilience. to undermine it.

The UK and Finland share key Hundreds of thousands of Britons values that drive our international and Finns have decided to live, vision and domestic agendas: study and visit each other’s equality of opportunity, a belief country over the last decade, and in democracy and human rights, the numbers are growing. These the rule of law, and free trade, people-to-people connections are to name a few. We are both at our most precious link. The UK the forefront of technological will continue to offer friendship and societal invention in meeting and assistance to Finland into the many challenges and the future, including during its opportunities of the 21st century, forthcoming EU presidency. from climate change, to artificial intelligence and an ageing Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 41

FINLAND FOCUSING ON efforts to reduce emissions, SUSTAINABILITY independent of what other countries are doing. Climate Sustainable development is both issues were also widely debated a necessity and an opportunity in the parliamentary elections in the spring of 2019. Finland is committed to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development The principles of sustainability Goals of the UN’s 2030 Agenda. and combating climate change This can only be done by must be promoted in all sectors co-operating extensively with civil of society but, even more society organisations, companies, importantly, they need to be educational institutions, research applied in practice. Finland has institutes and the public. a medium-term climate policy plan to 2030 and an Energy and Finland’s sustainable Climate Strategy, but the Finnish development approach has public administration is also succeeded in involving different committed to playing its part in societal groups, and a recent combating climate change. inquiry found that an ambitious climate policy is widely supported The Finnish Government aims, by Finns. Of the respondents, for example, to reduce its carbon 75% considered climate change footprint by a fifth by 2026. mitigation an important goal, and Climate change policy will be one 65% that Finland must continue of the key themes when Finland assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in July 2019. And sustainability will be factored into all meeting arrangements, projects and materials.

For the Government’s efforts on climate change mitigation to yield results, it is important to ensure that individual citizens have the ability to make climate- friendly choices easily in the course of their everyday lives.

In 2018, the Government launched a new service to help citizens combat climate change and promote sustainable development. By using the Commitment2050 website, anyone can calculate their personal carbon footprint and draw up a personal plan to reduce it. The site has increased citizen’s knowledge of their impact on the environment and understanding of the importance of individual choices. It is an innovative way to engage wider society in climate action and implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 42 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019 MAKING THE CIVIL SERVICE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

John Manzoni, Chief Executive of the Civil Service, and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office

those changes - not just technological, but social and cultural - adjusting to them in how we think about our workplaces, if A happier, more we are to function at our best. productive workforce and WORK IS ABOUT WHAT John Manzoni YOU DO better outcomes In April this year, the Reform But how does Smarter are inextricably think tank invited me to speak Working contribute to our about Smarter Working in the becoming a 21st-century linked Civil Service. Civil Service?

The venue for the speech, A central principle of appropriately, was the BT - Smarter Working is pretty formerly the Post Office - Tower. simple - it says that work is Appropriately, because BT was really about what you do, one of the early advocates and not where you do it. It’s about the adopters of Smarter Working, and quality and effectiveness of the because the tower has additional outcomes. symbolic relevance. Once the UK’s tallest building, it was For the public sector, that means state of the art in construction finding new and better ways of techniques, and a flagship for designing and delivering public advanced communications, at a services that are focused on what time when microwave technology citizens need. was considered the future of telecoms. But it had to adapt to We want the Civil Service to be changes in technology, and did so the best place to work. Smarter successfully, becoming, in 2016, Working taps into something in the highest building in the world the synthesis of people, place and to host an Internet of Things base culture that is fundamental for station. determining the most effective ways of working, and we can use That’s relevant because this to create the best outcomes technology is so influential in for the citizens we serve. the way we work and changes so fast. We have to be alert to Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 43

Smarter Working is also one of the drivers that will attract STAFF SATISFACTION the civil servants of the future, because it understands that • After the Home Office’s in square footage, the a happier, more productive recent workspace department delivered a workforce and better outcomes redesign, which 200% increase in ‘places are inextricably linked. introduced a desk ratio to sit’, and an annual of 1 to every 2 members saving of £3 million. CODE OF PRACTICE of staff, the staff survey showed a 4% increase in • The MOD’s Defence How are we embedding Smarter employees feeling they Infrastructure Working in the Civil Service? have the right tools to do Organisation reduced its And what’s the evidence that it their job. head office footprint by delivers results in: better work/ over 50%, staff travel by life balance for our employees, • After Ofgem moved into 20%, and improved the with advantages for recruitment the new Government success of recruitment and retention; greater openness Hub in Canary Wharf campaigns by being able to diversity; better mental - designed to Smarter to target a wider pool of and physical health; and more Working standards - applicants. effective use of property? survey results showed a 3% rise in teams • A Welsh Government has pulled together recommending Ofgem as Government Smarter best practice and evidence into a great place to work. Working pilot in Merthyr a national standard, PAS3000, a Tydfil resulted in the Code of Practice for organisations • DCMS met the challenge highest levels of staff in all sectors. And our most recent of a 300% increase in engagement across the Government Estate Strategy staff by redesigning Civil Service, with staff goes deeper than just reducing their existing workspace. reporting reduced stress our estates footprint and saving With only a 20% increase levels. money – it enshrines the Smarter Working principles.

Part of that strategy is to baseline against the Smarter Working PAS 3000 standard. It identified 18 departments with established Smarter Working programmes, with 7 more already showing as mature.

And we’ve seen a link between departments with Smarter Working programmes and increased staff satisfaction. 44 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

NEW CAREER PATHS preference for collaborative housing; and it supports regional working across boundaries. growth and opportunities, while Of course, the physical ensuring we optimise efficiency environment helps people feel GOVERNMENT HUBS across our estate. comfortable at work and perform better. But we are also looking at We also need to find ways of BECOMING THE MOST how we achieve the right mix of making it easier to collaborate INCLUSIVE EMPLOYER skills in the Civil Service. This is across the silos that exist in our necessary to refocus our efforts organisation. But to fully connect with the on delivery, complementing people of this country, the traditional strengths in policy- Part of the solution is to Civil Service has to reflect making - and it represents a accommodate teams from communities in all their diversity. fundamental shift in the balance different departments in a single of skills and experience in civil space, as we’re doing with the Diversity is at record levels: 53.9% servants. UK-wide network of Government of civil servants are women; 12% Hubs. Co-location in these are from ethnic minorities; and To achieve this we’re laying down modern workspaces, with up- 10% have a disability. 44.2% of new career paths that flow from to-date technology, encourages senior civil servants are women. the specialist professions and collaboration and a combined For ethnic minorities and people give more opportunities for civil response to the needs of users, with a disability, across the whole servants to acquire depth of while at the same time offering professional expertise. broader career opportunities for our workforce. We want young people entering the Civil Service to see a way Some 8,000 civil servants ahead to learn the skills they already enjoy these benefits in need, accumulate deeper the Croydon and Canary Wharf To fully connect experience and build a career in hubs. Another 12 are in delivery their chosen profession. We can for a further 48,000 civil with the people certainly offer that experience, servants, with plans for more because we do more commercial across the UK. And that means of this country, deals, more infrastructure, more being more widely dispersed communications - more of pretty and not so disproportionately we have to reflect much everything - than any other located in London and the employer. South East. communities in all

We’re making a complementary CONNECTING WITH their diversity change in how we reward our COMMUNITIES people, with flexible remuneration structures that recognise The Places for Growth specialist paths. programme is central to the long-term goal of taking Through the functions and departments, agencies and specialist professions, we are other public sector bodies closer stitching into the fabric of every to the people they serve. This department the professional means creating more senior expertise we need in vital roles - and career paths - beyond disciplines, from finance, to the areas where historically digital, to commercial, project senior civil servants have been delivery and human resources. concentrated. This will allow us both to access and support local To reflect this change, we are talent and better connect with taking a broader and more communities. inclusive approach to all our recruitment and internal This work is already progressing: promotion, with Success in Leeds, with the Department Profiles. This moves us away of Health & Social Care; in from an overreliance on basic Birmingham, growing our competencies. These still matter, transport-focused presence; and but we are looking at the full in Manchester, capitalising on its picture of what candidates established media hub. can bring to the job – their track record, technical ability, The Government Estate Strategy behaviours and values. For embraces all of this – it reflects the leaders of the future, this our ambition to ensure that public means confidence beyond their services better meet customers’ immediate profession, and a needs; it generates more land for Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 45

workforce and at senior levels, and the Justice system, through We are not there yet. And Civil Service diversity has risen the Courts Transformation we should treat exceptional consistently since 2010 and today Programme, to name just demands, including preparations stands at record levels. two. The next step is to apply for EU Exit, as accelerants technology to the maximum in to greater efficiency and This is great progress, but we internal processes. effectiveness of the sort that need to do more to realise our Smarter Working enables - the ambition of being the UK’s most We have started to apply robotic sort of improvements necessary inclusive employer by 2020. process automation (RPA), but so if we are to tackle not only EU far in only a few places. Exit, but everything required of Inclusion is more difficult to us in the day-to-day running of measure. We’re working with HMRC is the main early adopter government and public services. other employers and the of RPA in government, using Chartered Institute for Personnel it for processes associated Development to agree a new with student loans, the tax self REACTIONS TO SMARTER measurement framework. assessment dashboard, the tax WORKING credit digital service. Automated However, the latest People Survey services like employer registration • Tricia Jakeman, of the Defence results relating to inclusion show reduce processing costs by Infrastructure Organisation that how staff feel they are treated around 80%. And employers (DIO), which won the award for is at an all-time high (78%); and who register with HMRC to start Corporate Leadership in the 2019 responses to a new question paying staff receive confirmation Smarter Working Awards, said: show 75% feel their organisation three times faster than before. “I had an email from a member is committed to creating a diverse of our wider DIO organisation and inclusive workspace. We plan to accelerate our use last week, who unfortunately of RPA, exploiting the potential has been through some awful How and where we work, our for better, more efficient, and circumstances, and she wrote to connection with communities more accurate service delivery, me, ‘I feel so fortunate to work and how citizens experience our while taking advantage of the for an organisation where the services, are underpinned and opportunity to deploy employees leadership puts people first and enabled by technology. into more customer-facing work. can be flexible in their approach.’”

You can now check the FUNDAMENTAL • Alistair, a spokesperson for performance of approaching TRANSFORMATION GCHQ, which won the Smarter 800 services online, from high- Working 2019 Award for volume services like the vehicle These developments in how we Technology, said: “GCHQ makes tax checks by individuals, and leverage the elements of Smarter a big thing of neurodiversity in the multi-million State Pension Working - the combination of our recruitment, because one claims and passport applications, people, place and culture - to of the things we say is that down to niche ones, like import deliver better outcomes for the GCHQ’s success depends on licence applications for pets and public we serve, amount to a great minds not thinking alike. rare birds. fundamental transformation in And some of those people really our working practices, skills and don’t like looking at other people Technology is also driving capability, leadership, and culture. in the eye; and those people modernisation in the benefits They sum up our progress can engage on a level playing system, with Universal Credit; towards becoming A Brilliant Civil field with everybody else [with Service. Smarter Working], which they’ve never really been able to before.”

“Collaboration by default” across GCHQ, and “more working and operating at ‘unclassified’”, has created an environment ensuring the future health and diversity of the organisation. This environment uses technology to support smarter working principles, supplying a variety of flexible working platforms. 46 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

AN INTERVIEW WITH ANTONIA ROMEO, PERMANENT SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE

HOW IS DIT SHAPING THE UK’S ROLE IN THE WORLD AND WHAT IS IT DOING THAT WASN’T DONE BEFORE?

DIT will be three years old this summer. We were set up in 2016 with a remit covering all trade and investment promotion, trade policy, opening up international markets and championing free trade around the world. As well as meaning we have a Secretary of State who is focusing solely on global trade, it also means for the first time we have a department that brings together both a network across the UK and a network across the world, joining up exporters and investors with opportunities end to end.

It also means that we have, in one department, the ability to talk to business, and to use that feedback directly to influence policy. For example, we can align our trade policy with what business wants and needs. The key thing is, as we are opening up markets overseas, that we only open up markets where British business will benefit from that market access.

We provide a full range of services on trade: we can do government-to-government intervention at the top level, and provide government solutions to help small and medium-size businesses. We essentially act as a joint venture with business, and we open markets for business to trade through. That’s what it’s all about – real exports, creating real jobs and lower prices for consumers. Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 47

DO YOU THINK THERE IS AN Secretary and Chief AWAKENING GOING ON IN Trade Negotiation THE UK? SOME BUSINESSES Adviser; three new ARE STARTING TO SEE THAT Directors-General; THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES and appointed nine OUT THERE. HOW CAN WE ‘Her Majesty’s Trade The future economy ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO Commissioners’ is increasingly an DON’T SEE THEMSELVES AS [HMTCs] across the EXPORTERS, BUT DO HAVE world, leading on all international economy. THE POTENTIAL? trade, investment We have got to and trade policy ‘Encourage’ is one of the strands in-market. We understand what it means of our Export Strategy, which also built up our to trade in the world, has the ambition to increase DIT trade policy the amount of GDP that comes capability to building up a full suite of from exports to 35%. We do 500-strong (from tools to promote global need both to encourage more 40), and created companies to export, and also a Global Strategy Britain make it easier for them to export Directorate to help through improved market access. align our prosperity We also need to focus on those work with wider companies that just want to grow, global security and no matter where they are selling stability activity. their products. That’s why we also work with intermediaries, Another crucial element of our like marketplaces, where a approach is ‘One DIT’. Our USP is Getting it right isn’t an enigma. company can sell its products the ability to join up an exporter There are known things that in the marketplace, no matter if in Birmingham with an export make a success in delivering it’s to China, Latin America or opportunity in Canada. To do change. In particular, in bringing Bournemouth. that, you need a system that a new organisation together, functions from end to end. This setting the culture is the most COULD YOU TAKE US is partly about how people work important thing. There are also a THROUGH THE JOURNEY OF together, designing the digital lot of processes to get right. And DIT, FROM ITS CREATION ability for people to communicate much of it is about leadership. TO NOW? better, no matter where they are The first thing I focused on was based. But it is mostly about the building the senior leadership The department was created culture: we consider collaboration of the department, and working following the EU Exit referendum – the spirit of working together – together in our Executive in 2016. Essentially, there were four a crucial part of our culture in DIT. Committee and Directors group. components of the department: We now have a lot of great the organisation UK Trade & Overall, we’ve gone from about leadership and development Investment (UKTI); a small group 2,500 to 3,800 people over three initiatives, many of which have of about 40 doing trade policy in years. I’m really proud of what come from building the right what was formerly the Business, we’ve done as a team. leadership cadre. Innovation and Skills department; the GREAT campaign; and UK TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT I often say DIT is a joint venture Export Finance. HOW YOUR EXPERIENCE with business. We have a INFORMS WHAT YOU ARE large number of colleagues I started in this new job in March DOING HERE, AT DIT recruited from the private sector, 2017. The story of my first 18 particularly in our sector teams. months was building up the I have been involved in quite a If you want to talk to business, leadership and capability of the few machinery-of-government you need people who really department, working with the changes during my 19 years in understand business. Nothing brilliant team in place. the Civil Service. I was Principal we do on trade is going to Private Secretary at the make a difference to the real I had three priorities on day one: Department for Constitutional economy unless a business work with the ministers on setting Affairs when the Ministry of decides to invest or export as the strategy; developing the Justice was created from our a result of a change in trade leadership capability to deliver it; merger with part of the Home policy. To do that, we need and re-aligning the department to Office. I had seen a few times to have a strong relationship prepare for the challenge ahead. what worked and what didn’t in with business and understand various government departments. what businesses really want. My particular focus was on And prior to that, in my early Business is enthusiastic to have a building capability, both on career in the private sector, I department dedicated to helping trade policy and leadership. We worked on several best-practice it invest and trade, and it’s brought in Crawford Falconer, mergers and integration, important there is join-up. DIT’s Second Permanent particularly in financial services. 48 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

THIS IS A DEPARTMENT THAT IS ALL ABOUT THE FUTURE. YOU HAVE CREATED A WHOLE NEW INTERNATIONAL TRADE PROFESSION AS WELL. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT? new profession aims to raise learning and development, and the skills of those working and training opportunities including The International Trade aspiring to work in international negotiation simulations. Profession, which is led by trade, by providing innovative Crawford [Falconer], was WHAT ABOUT JOINT launched in May 2018 and goes WORKING IN WHITEHALL? much wider than just DIT. It now includes more than 2,800 people, DIT is a department that will from across Whitehall. succeed only if we collaborate across Whitehall. We work It is the first time in 40 years very closely with a range of that we in the UK are going I’ve put inclusion departments, from HMT, BEIS, to be negotiating our own at the heart of our DCMS and DExEU, to DfID and independent trade policy. FCO overseas, in order to deliver Creating the International Trade vision. I want DIT to the Government’s trade agenda. Profession is about building up be the most inclusive the muscle that will allow us to The future economy is open up markets and make a department in increasingly an international success of these negotiations. Whitehall economy. We have got to This is completely new. We understand what it means to trade used to rely on the EU to do it. in the world, building up a full Now, we are going to have to suite of tools we have across the be very effective in negotiating whole of government, to promote our own agreements. The global Britain, and project the Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 49

I’ve put inclusion at the heart of our mission, and the ‘DIT Spirit’ – ‘Expert, Enterprising, Engaged and Inclusive’. I want DIT to be the most inclusive We are planning [for department in Whitehall. To do this I have shamelessly stolen Brexit] all the time, diversity and inclusion best for multiple scenarios. practice that I have seen work in other departments. One of We will be ready the main success factors is for when we leave the the leadership to talk about EU, no matter when inclusion and its importance to the mission. I believe that if it comes you’re the leader and you talk about something, it sends a strong signal that shows how important it is to you and the organisation. In DIT’s Women’s Network, we We have 12 diversity networks, talk a lot about the ‘transition which are all staff-run. We focus blackhole’, which is the transition on celebrating staff successes, between a long period of leave, but also talk about areas where such as maternity leave, and we need to improve. I am also being back at work after that Gender Champion in the Civil leave. On disability, we talk about Service, a role I recently took over things like workplace adjustments, from Melanie Dawes [Permanent which are so important, and Secretary at the Ministry of making sure people know where Housing, Communities & Local they need to go. We are running Government]. specific targeted actions and UK overseas. This includes using ‘Fusion’ principles and the ‘Strategic Framework’, across the whole of Whitehall in support of Government trade objectives.

HOW IS THE DEPARTMENT APPROACHING ISSUES OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION?

This is an area where I think Whitehall is best in class. The Civil Service’s aspiration and ambition to be the most diverse and inclusive organisation in the country by 2020 is a great ambition, and one I think we will achieve. 50 CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY | Issue 20 – June 2019

networks through the different economic and commercial issues, IS DIT READY FOR A parts of the organisation, and and is responsible for trade NO-DEAL BREXIT? we actively share best practice promotion, export opportunities between them. and investment in their region. We are planning all the time, for multiple scenarios. We will COULD YOU SAY WHY HM Having nine HMTCs covering the be ready when we leave the TRADE COMMISSIONERS ARE globe is great, as you can bring EU, no matter when it comes. If IMPORTANT? them all into one room, around you work in trade negotiations, one table, and have a great you are used to operating in Before DIT existed, in UKTI, and insightful conversation on both certainty and uncertainty, there was already a network business issues across the world. and using those as part of the of excellent people working The regional approach allows approach. Working in uncertain overseas and talking to business. this depth of knowledge at that times is in our DNA. But we didn’t have a regional critical strategic level. approach. The HMTCs oversee nine regions across the world, The appointment of HMTCs and they have deep expertise in shows DIT’s commitment to their regions. Each HMTC leads an its overseas operations and international network focusing on the importance of Britain’s international trade and economic relationships. British businesses say they love the model. Issue 20 – June 2019 | CIVIL SERVICE QUARTERLY 51

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