Civil Service: Training and Development Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Hennessy of Nympsfield
Main Page: Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield (Crossbench - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield's debates with the Cabinet Office
(12 years, 1 month ago)
Lords ChamberMy Lords, I would have loved to have met the noble Lord when he was a special adviser to observe his skills. We are working with Ashridge, Roffey Park, Westminster Explained and a number of other providers. As we have been working with them, we do not see that this in any sense endangers the impartiality or quality of the Civil Service. Roffey Park, as noble Lords know, is a non-profit making organisation that provides top-class skills. We think that there are advantages in having central control of the Civil Service buy-in, which is Civil Service Learning, but with a variety of provision by a variety of providers.
Could the Minister explain to the House exactly what was wrong with the National School of Government?
My Lords, the National School of Government provided extensive residential accommodation for extensive residential courses. The Civil Service and other providers are moving away from extensive residential courses to shorter ones, very often for one day each. It is intended that the different mix will be better met and more efficiently provided by a range of different providers.