2013 at the Ombudsman institution The tasks of the Civil Service are among society’s most complex, and conditions seem in some respects to become ever more difficult. The 24/7 society means that issues must be handled and resolved almost before they have arisen. The range in the tasks of the general Civil Service seems to be wider than ever. The pressure from the media is becoming ever more powerful. And the introduction of special advisors brings with it an information culture which can be useful and necessary, but which may also risk colouring the actual work. This is probably a better starting point for a topical discussion on norms and values within the Civil Service, rather than picking out individual cases without any obvious interconnection. And maybe the verbalisation of basic public administration values has in recent years been a little overshadowed by media strategies, structural reforms, streamlining projects and a demand for quick ­answers to difficult questions. Maybe it has been more in vogue to talk about what needs to be reformed than what needs to be preserved. Fortunately, the basic values are simple and well-known: legality, professionalism, a duty to tell the truth, and party-political neutrality. The content of these basic values is reasonably clear. And the tools to ensure compliance with the values are rather obvious: give the values a clear managerial focus and daily attention, particularly in difficult cases. Have the necessary competences available to ensure that they are observed. Clamp down on those who turn out not to play by the rules. And acknowledge and correct mistakes when they have been committed instead of taking the chance that they will not be discovered. It is important to steer a clear course in these matters if we are to preserve a Civil Service with high standards also in the long run, and thereby maintain trust in the system. And at any rate, the daily work of the Civil Service must be kept under effective control. At the Ombudsman institution, this is one of our most important duties. 19