Royal Commission on the Civil Service

Royal Commission on the Civil Service. Commonly known as the **Anderson Committee**, this major investigative body was established in 1929 by the Second MacDonald ministry to conduct a comprehensive review of the Home Civil Service. It was tasked with examining the service's organization, recruitment, and remuneration in the wake of significant post-war changes and economic pressures. The commission's influential report, published in 1931, led to substantial administrative reforms and shaped the modern British civil service.

Background and Establishment

The impetus for the commission arose from growing concerns about the efficiency and cost of the Home Civil Service following the First World War. The rapid expansion of government functions during the conflict, coupled with the economic strains of the Great Depression, prompted calls for a rigorous independent review. Political pressure came from figures like Sir Warren Fisher, the powerful Head of the Home Civil Service, who advocated for modernization. The Labour government under Ramsay MacDonald formally established the commission in late 1929, aiming to address long-standing grievances from groups like the Civil Service Clerical Association and to streamline a bureaucracy still influenced by the legacy of the Northcote–Trevelyan Report.

Terms of Reference and Membership

The commission's formal terms of reference were to inquire into the organization, recruitment, training, and promotion within the Home Civil Service, as well as the principles governing remuneration. It was explicitly instructed to exclude the Foreign Office and the Diplomatic Service. The chairman was the esteemed administrator Sir John Anderson, whose prior roles included Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department. Other notable members included Lawrence Lowell, President of Harvard University, and Sir James Rae, a former Comptroller and Auditor General. The secretary was Thomas Gardiner, a senior official from the General Post Office.

Key Inquiries and Proceedings

The Anderson Committee conducted an extensive investigation, gathering voluminous written evidence and holding numerous oral hearings. Key witnesses included senior officials like Sir Russell Scott of the Treasury and leaders of staff associations such as the Institution of Professional Civil Servants. The commission scrutinized the structure of the service, comparing the administrative class with the executive and clerical classes. It examined the application of the Whitley Council system for industrial relations and debated the balance between generalist administrators and technical specialists. Proceedings were influenced by contemporary debates on scientific management and the findings of earlier committees like the Bradbury Committee on pay.

Major Recommendations and Reforms

The commission's final report, published in 1931, contained several landmark recommendations. It firmly endorsed the principle of a permanent, politically neutral civil service recruited by open competition, upholding the tradition established by the Northcote–Trevelyan Report. A major reform was the unification of the service under a single Treasury control, strengthening the role of the Head of the Home Civil Service. It recommended the formal creation of a central **Administrative Class** to lead policy formulation. On remuneration, it advocated for fair comparison with outside employment, a principle later enshrined in the Priestley Commission. It also proposed improvements in training and the greater use of specialized advisors.

Impact and Legacy

The recommendations of the Anderson Committee had a profound and lasting impact on the British civil service. Its report provided the blueprint for the modern structure of the service, cementing the dominance of the administrative class for decades. Many proposals were implemented by the National Government in the 1930s, fundamentally reshaping the relationship between the Treasury and other departments. The commission's work influenced subsequent reviews, including the Assheton Committee on training and the Fulton Committee. Its endorsement of a unified, career-based service remains a cornerstone of the United Kingdom's public administration, affecting the operations of institutions from the Ministry of Health to the Colonial Office. Category:Royal Commissions of the United Kingdom Category:British civil service Category:1931 in British politics