Departmental Compliance


Since the 2017-18 compliance period, the Commission has undertaken an approach to compliance in which members of the secretariat audit each regulated department, inspecting both recruitment campaigns and appointments made by exception.

Previous audits were conducted in person, however, as Covid-19 pandemic restrictions meant that this was no longer possible, the Commission conducted audits remotely during 2019-20. This approach continued in 2020-21. The Commission is content that this approach, which the secretariat is experienced in and well equipped for, ensured the required standard of regulatory oversight.

Further details on this and on this year's approach to compliance can be found in our Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21 (PDF, 2.4MB, 100 pages).

At the end of the year, we assess organisations as either Good, Fair, or Poor, and give each organisation a forward trajectory. The table below sets out the risk ratings given to all the Civil Service departments and agencies for 2020-21, together with breaches identified for those organisations. 

We also publish an FAQs document (PDF, 15 pages, 153KB) for departments, which provides guidance on various recruitment issues we have identified throughout the year.



Department Rating Trajectory Breaches
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service Fair Likely to improve 0
Animal and Plant Health Agency Poor Static 3
Cabinet Office Poor At risk 14
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Good Static 0
Charity Commission Poor Likely to improve 3
Companies House Good Static 0
Competition and Markets Authority Good Static 0
Crown Commercial Service Fair Static 2
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Good Static 0
Crown Prosecution Service Fair At risk 2
Defence Equipment and Support Fair Likely to improve 0
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Good Static 2
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Good Static 0
Department for Education Good Static 1
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Poor Likely to improve 5
Department for International Trade Poor Static 3
Department for Transport Fair Likely to improve 1
Department for Work and Pensions Fair Likely to improve 4
Department of Health and Social Care Poor At risk 24
Estyn Fair Likely to improve 0
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Services Fair Likely to improve 0
Food Standards Agency Fair Likely to improve 1
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Fair Static 1
Forestry Commission Fair At risk 2
Government Actuary's Department Fair At risk 1
Government Commercial Function Fair Static 1
Government Economic Service Fair Likely to improve 0
Government Legal Department Good Static 0
Government Social Research Service Fair Likely to improve 0
Health and Safety Executive Fair Static 2
HM Land Registry Fair Likely to improve 1
HM Revenue and Customs Fair Likely to improve 3
HM Treasury Good Static 1
Home Office Fair Likely to improve 3
Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education Fair Likely to improve 1
Intellectual Property Office Fair Static 0
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency Good Static 0
Met Office Fair At risk 2
Ministry of Defence Poor Static 4
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Good Static 0
Ministry of Justice Poor Static 11
National Crime Agency Poor Likely to improve 2
National Savings and Investments Fair Static 1
Northern Ireland Office Fair At risk 2
Office for National Statistics Good Static 0
Office of Rail and Road Fair Likely to improve 0
Ofgem Fair Static 1
Ofqual Fair Likely to improve 0
Ofsted Fair Static 0
Ofwat Fair At risk 2
Planning Inspectorate Fair At risk 1
Public Health England Fair Static 4
Registers of Scotland Good At risk 0
Rural Payments Agency Good Static 0
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Good Static 2
Scottish Prison Service Fair Likely to improve 0
Serious Fraud Office Fair Static 1
The Insolvency Service Good Static 0
The National Archives Fair At risk 2
The Queen Elizabeth II Centre Fair Static 0
The Scottish Government Fair Static 2
UK Debt Management Office Fair Likely to improve 1
UK Export Finance Fair Static 0
UK Hydrographic Office Fair Likely to improve 0
UK Space Agency Fair Static 0
Valuation Office Agency Fair Static 1
Veterinary Medicines Directorate Fair Static 0
Welsh Government Good Static 0
Welsh Revenue Authority Good At risk 1
Wilton Park Executive Agency Fair At risk 1
Last year’s rating and trajectory table can be found by clicking here (PDF, 2 pages, 32KB).  
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