Audit of the Business Appointment Rules

The Civil Service Commission has today published an initial audit of the processes used across government departments to administer the government’s Business Appointment Rules (the Rules) for civil servants and special advisers below the most senior levels.

This is the first audit of this nature, following a request by the Minister for the Cabinet Office to the Commission on 9 July 2025.

This audit covered 17 core ministerial departments. All of the departments audited demonstrated that they were aware of their responsibilities in relation to the Rules.

The Commission wrote to the Permanent Secretaries of the 17 departments that took part in the audit, directing them to the importance of the recommendations to mitigate risk to government of civil servants and special advisers taking up roles outside of government.

The Commission is also carrying out a review of the Business Appointments Rules for civil servants and special advisers at all grades.