Derek McDowell (Labour)

This is largely an empowering Bill that envisages that PAS will take over Civil Service Commission responsibilities on its first day and that some Departments will look for permission to do their own recruitment. What does the Minister see happening? Will the PAS act in effect as the Civil Service Commission upon enactment and for some time afterwards, with recruitment at arm's length the exception rather than the rule? Does the Minister perhaps expect it will work the other way round? Is it a big bang measure or it is incremental?