The Cabinet secretary has set out a series of reforms which will mean that civil servants will be unable to rise to the senior ranks unless they have a range of professional and business skills.

Sir Andrew Turnbull published a new structure that will make it mandatory for all those in the top 4,000 Whitehall jobs to have experience in finance, management, communications, human resources and frontline delivery.

Officials will have to gain a series of accreditations, including professional qualifications, and go on placements in the private and public sector, do a spell as a press officer and go on accountancy and management training courses.