Conservative party plans to publish online details of the salaries of the 35,000 most senior civil servants in Whitehall have been criticised as likely to undermine innovation in public services.
The plan, announced this morning at the party conference in Manchester by shadow minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude, would also see every item of central government spending over £25,000 published online, in order to let what Maude described as "an army of 'armchair auditors'" examine government spending and "see for themsevles whether their government is really delivering value for money".
While some welcomed the move as part of the potential restoration of the public in the political process, others were sceptical. At a fringe meeting on public services held by the RSA's 2020 Public Services Trust, delegates discussing the need for innovative services felt that the move would deter already risk-averse public managers from trying out potentially cost-effective new schemes.
Maude also announced a plan to appoint ministers to chair departmental boards and to strengthen commercial nous on boards, saying any future Conservative government would seek to attract "big hitters" to take on such roles and, as a last resort, be able to recommend to the prime minister that a permanent secretary should be removed.
The Conservatives also want all government tender documents for contracts worth more than £10,000 to be published online, as well as detailed job descriptions and staff numbers for all Whitehall departments and agencies.
For more coverage from the Guardian on the Conservative Party Conference click here
Conservatives plan to publish civil service salaries
Cabinet Office shadow minister Francis Maude tells conference a Tory government would post on the internet all central government spending over £25,000
