A guide to Westminster

Legislation stems from an extensive process of inspiration, deliberation and reformation before it arrives on the statute book. Understanding how this process develops and where and when to feed into it forms a crucial part of making politics and government work for you.

Where policy comes from: Government

Manifesto

A major foundation for any new government programme following a general election must be the manifesto on which they were elected. Whilst much may be made of supposed broken manifesto promises, any party that does so to a great degree isn’t going to be re-elected. The manifesto then should give a good indication of what a future legislative programme will include. Especially in years where a change of government is expected, it should give the civil service a good indication of what policy thoughts they need to start to consider. It should also be noted the importance inclusion of a policy commitment in the manifesto has for forcing legislation through. The Lords are unlikely and unable to block a bill if its inclusion was expressly noted in the manifesto.

The Cabinet and Cabinet Committees

The most important area for new policy development, as the senior branch of the Executive, is the Cabinet. Whilst policy ideas may initially stem from anywhere, if it’s going to blossom and grow a policy idea must first take root in the fertile soil of a Cabinet member’s mind. Government time is a very scarce resource and unless at least one relevant member of the cabinet has taken the idea on as a pressing need, it is unlikely to survive the battle for prioritisation.

Departments

Government departments are responsible for policy implementation and, therefore, are vital when it comes to thoughts on how policy may be developed and improved. The various policy desk officers, as experts in their own fields, will obviously have thoughts on how existing regulation or government activity may be developed or curtailed. Identifying and effectively communicating concerns or ideas to the relevant official is an important early step for anyone wishing to influence policy development. As the person who is most likely to draft future policy (s)he is an important ally.

Aside from the detailed implementation of specifics, departments will also have policy teams responsible for drawing together department-wide initiatives, or co-ordinating with others where cross-departmental interests are subject to rekindling.

As political appointees, special advisers may be seen to be outside of the conventional departmental structure. Nevertheless, they have the ear of the Minister, and have a key role to play in considering both the political impact of any changes and, where they are policy specialists, what changes are practicable. Any attempt to gain ministerial approval for a public affairs campaign should seek to influence their special adviser.

The Foresight Programme

The integration of industry, academic and other interest groups with government has been put on a more stable footing with the advent of the long-term Foresight Programme. Foresight is a collaboration of all sectors of society and has as its brief long distance policy development, attempting to spot problems early and to develop responses to the demands of social, economic and technological change. It is a key plank in the strategy to bring about joined up government, spotting regulatory and legal hurdles to future development, and highlighting where future spending may need to be targeted.

Government agencies

A multiplicity of agencies feed into the Government’s thinking process. Aside from the formal departmental structure responsible for drawing up policy, an increasing number of outside groups are setting the agenda for deliberation. Within government many department responsibilities have been devolved to executive agencies. Initially criticised as an attempt to subvert the democratic process, these bodies are beginning to succumb to pressures to open up. Most now will engage in regular public meetings and Q&A sessions to improve transparency and engage in rolling consultation. Other government agencies include ad hoc groups formed to examine a specific problem, or wide ranging “thinking” groups, such as the Regulatory Impact Unit, the Performance and Innovation Unit or the Social Exclusion Unit who aim to improve existing government policy.

Review bodies and task forces

Various review bodies are also active in filtering through information into the decision making process. In the period of 1997-98 the Government set up over 300 task forces and review bodies to help it govern. Partly of necessity after so long in opposition and also from a deep rooted desire to appear inclusive and consultative, they have instead opened themselves to criticism for being too pro-business and operating a “job-for-the-boys” scheme. These review bodies have been open to intense lobbying in the past and now look to operate under Nolan rules to protect themselves from sleaze allegations. Nevertheless they provide a key access route for comment on policy, one Permanent Secretary having described them as a “whole new way of making policy.”

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