Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government is reportedly planning to grant Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo new powers to overrule senior officials in other Whitehall departments. The move is intended to centralize authority and enable the Prime Minister to more effectively drive through his policy agenda.
Legislation to enact these changes is expected to be included in the King's Speech next year. This would significantly boost Dame Antonia's legal authority to direct permanent secretaries, who currently manage government departments. While she can currently request action from permanent secretaries, they are not legally obligated to comply. Their primary accountability rests with their respective Cabinet ministers, who are then accountable to the Prime Minister.
Before becoming Prime Minister, Burnham voiced concerns about inter-departmental conflicts and the structure of the civil service. He described the system as "too adversarial" and cited "departmental silos battling each other and battling the Treasury" as a drain on efficiency. Alex Thomas of the Institute for Government think tank commented that empowering the Cabinet Secretary could help address "collective action problems across Government where the Cabinet Office has proved itself to be too weak in the past." However, Thomas also noted that these changes alone would not resolve issues related to departmental capabilities or political obstacles.
Dame Antonia was appointed Cabinet Secretary in February, succeeding Chris Wormald. Wormald's departure followed a significant payout, reportedly exceeding £500,000, making it one of the largest in history for a civil servant. Prior to her current role, Dame Antonia served as permanent secretary at the Home Office.
A spokesperson for the Cabinet Office stated that the Prime Minister has outlined a goal of "reforming the state with devolution by default to deliver good growth in every postcode." The First Secretary of State, Louise Haigh, and the Cabinet Secretary are working collaboratively to "realise the state and reform and empower the civil service and local government."