Damien Moore MP for Southport presses for increased opportunity in the Civil Service.

Lasts Thursday, Southport MP Damien Moore raised the suspension of the Civil Service Fast Stream in Parliament, following an announcement earlier in the week that no applicants would be accepted in 2023.

Each year, the Civil Service Fast Stream sees over a thousand talented people from across the country, regardless of background, placed in impactful jobs across all Government departments, where they can put their drive and passion to great use making a real difference to people’s lives.

At Cabinet Office Questions, Mr. Moore pushed Cabinet Office Minister Heather Wheeler MP to explain what steps the Government was taking to broaden the diversity of expertise in senior civil servant posts, to which she set out how the Government have strengthened “external by default” recruitment practices.

Mr. Moore, who expressed his belief that restoring the Fast Stream would ensure that the top ranks of the Civil Service continue to be world leading in their breadth and depth of knowledge, further pressed the Minister, who confirmed that places for Autumn 2022 would be honoured, and that the direct entry partnership and internship schemes would continue. 

The Minister continued that the pause would allow for a review of the scheme to take place, with a view to focussing on the driving-up of specialist skills, and improving the availability of Fast Stream posts in all regions and nations of the United Kingdom.

The Minister also congratulated Mr. Moore on his dedicated work with the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, with which he has formed close links through his roles as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Belgium, Luxembourg, and Tunisia.

As part of this work, Mr. Moore recently met with the Luxembourg President and the UK Foreign Secretary, The Rt. Hon. Liz Truss MP, as he organised for and hosted the largest delegation of Luxembourg Parliamentarians to visit the UK Parliament since 1949.

Damien Moore, MP for Southport, said:

“As part of the Government’s Levelling Up Agenda, more and more senior Civil Service positions will be based across the North of England, increasing opportunity for people in Southport.

“It is right that the best and the brightest from across the country, regardless of where they live, have this opportunity to make such a positive impact on local people’s lives.

“This impacts my constituents in Southport, who deserve the opportunity to let their hard work ethic speak for itself, and so I look forward to the scheme reopening as soon as possible.”