Written Evidence from the Better Government Initiative to the Public Administration Select Committee's inquiry into the impartiality of the Civil Service, and compliance with the Civil Service Code, in relation to the independence referendum in Scotl

We wish to submit evidence on two issues in connection with the Select Committee’s inquiry into compliance with the Civil Service Code in relation to the referendum on Scottish independence: first, the principles which should inform the conduct of the civil service with regard to the referendum and, second, the accountability of the civil service in Scotland. [...] As the Civil Service Code says, the function of the civil service is to advise the government of the day on its policies with objectivity and impartiality. [...] Successive Heads of the Home Civil Service have also made clear that those members of the Home Civil Service who are employed by the Scottish Government and its Executive Agencies are responsible to Scottish Ministers, constituted as the Scottish Government (in the language of the Scotland Act 1998, the Scottish Executive). [...] In turn, the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government has a personal accountability to the Head of the Home Civil Service for ensuring compliance with the Civil Service Code laid before the UK and Scottish Parliaments by Scottish Ministers. [...] The holder of that post also has a personal accountability to the Scottish Parliament for the legality, propriety and value for money of expenditure on the administration of the Scottish Government, including the costs of those civil servants employed by the Scottish Government and its Executive Agencies, as part of the general responsibility as Principal Accountable Officer for the totality of th.