Queen of the Civil Service: Andy Burnham ‘to give top official Antonia Romeo new powers to overrule Whitehall departments’
Andy Burnham is reportedly set to grant his Cabinet Secretary, Dame Antonia Romeo, expanded legal powers to direct permanent secretaries across Whitehall departments, according to a report in The Times. The move would mark a significant centralisation of authority in the civil service, addressing long-standing complaints from prime ministers about their limited ability to push policy through a system often criticised for departmental infighting and "turf wars".
Currently, Dame Antonia can only ask permanent secretaries to act, with no legal obligation for them to comply, as they answer instead to their own Cabinet ministers. The proposed legislation would reportedly feature in next year's King's Speech. Dame Antonia, appointed in February after Chris Wormald's departure left him the shortest-serving Cabinet Secretary in history alongside a payout reported to exceed £500,000, was previously permanent secretary at the Home Office. The Institute for Government's Alex Thomas cautioned that while boosting central authority could tackle cross-government "collective action problems", it would not by itself fix departmental capability gaps or political obstacles.
In short
- Burnham reportedly to boost Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo's powers over Whitehall
- Legislation expected in next year's King's Speech to centralise authority
- Experts warn move alone won't fix departmental capability or political issues
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Giving the Cabinet Secretary legal authority to direct permanent secretaries could help government deliver policies that depend on several departments working together, and reduce delays caused by departmental disputes. Supporters may see clearer central accountability as a way to make ministers’ collective decisions effective while still leaving elected ministers responsible for policy.
The case against
Making the Cabinet Secretary able to overrule departmental officials could concentrate too much power at the centre and weaken the ability of departments to give candid, specialised advice. Critics may also argue that legal direction would not resolve capacity shortages or political disagreements, and could make accountability less clear if decisions are driven by the centre but implemented across departments.
Explained simply
The civil service is made up of government departments, each led by a permanent secretary, the most senior official who runs its day-to-day work. These officials answer to their own ministers, while the Cabinet Secretary is the senior civil servant who supports the prime minister and helps co-ordinate work across government.
That division can make it difficult to deliver policies that depend on several departments working together. Prime ministers have long complained about departments protecting their own priorities, sometimes described as “turf wars”.
Dame Antonia Romeo became Cabinet Secretary in February, after previously leading the Home Office civil service. Giving the Cabinet Secretary more authority could help co-ordinate departments, but it would not necessarily resolve shortages in their ability to deliver policies or disagreements between ministers.
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