The system for holding civil service chiefs to account has something ’seriously wrong’ with it.

That’s the view of Julie Edge (Onchan), who last week called for a review of the appraisal process in place for departmental chief officers within government, in particular to monitor performance and financial accountability.

Ms Edge told Tynwald: ’With regard to financial accountability we have got ministers coming to this court today asking for supplementary votes due to serious overspend.

’There is something seriously wrong within the current system.’

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas said chief officers who were employed as civil servants were subject to the annual performance and development review system that applied to all civil servants.

Framework

He added: ’The system is in the process of being modernised and updated in a new framework called "the people qualities framework".

’Appraisals for the chief officers of departments, and some statutory bodies and offices, are carried out by the chief secretary.

The chief secretary consults with people like relevant ministers, political chairs and the first deemster respectively, before carrying out the appraisal in such cases.’

He said financial accountability was a ’core part’ of the role of any chief officer.

Former health minister Kate Beecroft (Douglas South MHK), who later in the sitting accused the DHSC chief executive Malcolm Couch of failing to support her, asked Mr Thomas to confirm that ministers had a say in performance development reviews and that they should be ’routinely available’ to them.

Mr Thomas confirmed that was the case, before adding: ’I am sufficiently long in the tooth to understand there must be more to that question than first meets the eye.’