The executive and the civil service


Published by a ½Û×ÓÊÓƵ Public Law expert
Practice notes

The executive and the civil service


Published by a ½Û×ÓÊÓƵ Public Law expert

Practice notes
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What is a civil servant?

A civil servant is any permanent, non-political employee of central government—servants of the Crown, apart from Members of the armed forces. The civil service consists of the Home Civil Service, and the Diplomatic Service. It does not include:

  1. •

    judges

  2. •

    police officers, who hold independent offices

  3. •

    employees of Parliament, who do not serve the government

  4. •

    local government employees

  5. •

    NHS employees

  6. •

    ministers, who serve in a political role

In practical terms, a civil servant is someone employed by a government department.

Government departments

Much of work of the Executive is carried out by government departments, such as the Home Office, or the Department for Work and Pensions, headed by ministers but staffed by civil servants. The most senior civil servant in a department is called the Permanent Secretary.

Government departments do not have a legal personality of their own. They are aspects of the Crown, but can sue and be sued under the Crown Proceedings Act 1947. A civil servant is regarded as having a

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Executive definition
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