ABSTRACT
By December 1972, modernisation’s moment was over. Administratively, William Armstrong had lost interest and so the internal post-Plowden reform programme lost momentum. Politically, Howell had been transferred to the Northern Ireland Offi ce and Heath’s interest in administrative reform had equally waned. The House of Commons’ Expenditure Committee sought to keep modernisation alive with an inquiry into the Civil Service (the English Committee) between 1976 and 1978; but, as Prime Minister, James Callaghan showed as little sustained interest in reform as had Wilson.1
