To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many civil servants who are not special advisers he has appointed without open competition since the general election.

The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 sets out the requirement for the Civil Service Commission to establish recruitment principles which departments must follow. The Recruitment Principles 2018 provide the legal requirement for the selection of appointments to the Civil Service to be made on merit and on the basis of fair and open competition. In addition, under section 12 of this act, it allows for exceptions to these principles.

Appointments by exception are an important part of how we bring talent and expertise into the Civil Service. These routes are long established and have been used properly and extensively by all modern administrations, as they can assist with bringing in individuals with relevant experience and skills for a time-limited basis.

In the latest year for which data is available across the civil service, the year ending March 2023, approximately 80,000 people were hired through open competitions, and approximately 9,000 people were hired through the different exception routes. Full details are available at the following link:

https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/15.101_CSC_ARA-2022-23_FINAL_WEB.pdf

In the period from the general election to 3 September 2024, the Department has made 15 appointments by exception to the recruitment principles.