You Are Here: CSC > About Us > Background

Background

Authority and Responsibilities of Commissioners

Civil Service Commissioners were first appointed in 1855 to uphold the principle that selection for appointment to posts in the Civil Service should be on the basis of merit in fair and open competition. Commissioners for Northern Ireland were first appointed in 1923. Commissioners derive their responsibilities from prerogative Orders made by the Secretary of State. In the past, such Orders have combined two roles - setting out the functions of Commissioners, and assigning to the Department of Finance and Personnel certain "management and control" responsibilities in relation to the NI Civil Service. The Northern Ireland Act 1998 provided for the former to be a reserved matter, while the latter would - in the event of devolution - be transferred. Consequently, on 2 March 1999, two new Orders were made - the Civil Service Commissioners (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 and the Civil Service (Northern Ireland) Order 1999, which provide separately for the functions of Commissioners and those of DFP. The new Order - which is reproduced in full in Appendix A - states, more explicitly than its predecessor, the principle that "...a person shall not be appointed to a situation in the Civil Service unless.....the selection....was made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition". The Order gives Commissioners the responsibility of maintaining this important principle - the Merit Principle.

Both old (1996) and new (1999) Orders provide for Commissioners to discharge their responsibilities by:

• making General Regulations;
• publishing and maintaining a Recruitment Code setting out the essential principles and procedures on which recruitment to the NICS must be based;
• approving certain exceptions to the recruitment principle of selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as provided for in the General Regulations;
• approving the procedures for appointments through open competition to senior positions in the NICS;
• auditing recruitment policies and practices followed by departments and agencies in making appointments to the NICS; and
• requiring departments and agencies to publish information about their recruitment activity.

Both Orders also provide that Commissioners may consider and determine appeals made to them under the NICS Code of Ethics. The Order requires them to publish an annual report of the number of appeals made to them under the Code of Ethics together with summary information as to the nature of such appeals.

Go to:
Meet the Commissioners
Meet the Secretariat

About Us