Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 26 July 2024, to Question 1260, on Senior Civil Servants: Recruitment, for how many days a job must be advertised publicly to be considered as open to external candidates.

There is no mandated period for a vacancy to be advertised, either externally or internally.

The Civil Service Recruitment Principles state that ‘The media chosen to publicise appointment opportunities and the time allowed for advertising must be suitable for attracting a sufficiently strong and diverse field of applicants, taking account of the nature of the role and the relevant job market.’ The time allowed for advertising will therefore vary from role to role.