A report sought to identify the range of policy-testing mechanisms used in government; develop a typology of major trials; identify examples of good practice in different policy areas; describe the benefits and limitations of policy trials; and provide guidance on how to approach trials. It recommended that the full-scale introduction of new policies and delivery mechanisms should, wherever possible, be preceded by closely monitored pilots; advantage should be taken of the small scale and explicitly experimental nature of pilots to encourage innovations in policy that might otherwise be too risky or costly to embark on; pilots should not be undertaken where there was no realistic scope for affecting the nature of the policy concerned; pilots should be preceded by the systematic gathering of evidence from the United Kingdom and abroad; and multiple methods of measurement and assessment including experimental, quasi-experimental and qualitative techniques should all be considered to get a complete picture.
Source: Roger Jowell, Trying It Out: The role of pilots in policy-making - Report of a review of government pilots, Strategy Unit/Cabinet Office (020 7276 1881)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report
Date: 2003-Dec
A new book examined social protest movements, including case studies of those concerned with women's rights, ethnicity and race, mental health, peace and privatisation. It explored issues of youth and political involvement, free speech, unemployment, and the role of voluntary and community groups in challenging traditional perspectives on democracy.
Source: Malcolm Todd and Gary Taylor (eds.), Democracy and Participation: Popular protest and new social movements, Merlin Press (fax: 020 7497 0309)
Links: Summary
Date: 2003-Dec
The Labour Party launched a 'Big Conversation' with voters on around 150 policy questions. Consultative events were planned throughout the country until March 2004. Voters would be urged either to come along in person or email and text their views. Labour promised to collect all the ideas generated and then nominate the 'best' for possible inclusion in its manifesto for the next general election.
Source: A Future Fair for All: Big issues need a big conversation, Labour Party (08705 900200)
Links: Report (pdf) | Speech by Tony Blair MP | IPPR press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Nov
An article argued that expectations of social policies based only on an 'instrumental' response (a narrow calculus of costs and benefits for the individual affected) are misleading, and that the impact of policy signals on people's perceptions of the intrinsic value of a policy cannot be ignored.
Source: Philip Jones and John Cullis, 'Key parameters in policy design: the case of intrinsic motivation', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 32, Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2003-Oct
A report examined ways in which research evidence could have a greater impact on the policy-making process, the organisation of service delivery, and patterns of professional practice.
Source: Sandra Nutley, Huw Davies and Isabel Walter, Conceptual Synthesis 2: Learning from Knowledge Management, Research Unit for Research Utilisation/University of St Andrews (01334 462878)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Aug
The government announced a new 500,000 fund, designed to help children and young people take part in conferences and events to give their views on government policies, and on services affecting them.
Source: Press release 31.7.03, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: DfES press release
Date: 2003-Jul
The Department for Work and Pensions published an annual report on action to promote greater involvement by children in the formulation of policy.
Source: Children and Young People s Participation in the Planning, Delivery and Evaluation of Policies and Services: 2003/4 Action plan, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
The government launched a new Race Equality Advisory Panel. The panel consisted of 25 people from minority ethnic communities, chosen to reflect ethnicity, faith, gender, age and geographical location. The purpose of the panel would be to help develop the Home Office s strategy on race equality; advise on implementing and delivering existing policies/programmes; provide ad hoc advice on specific topics; and provide a link to minority ethnic communities.
Source: Press release 27.6.03, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Home Office press release
Date: 2003-Jun
A committee of the House of Lords said that further consideration needed to be given to whether equality should be included as a value of the European Union; that if full employment were included as an objective, there should be a clearer understanding of what it meant; that there was little pressure in the United Kingdom for any general extension of the competence of the EU in the social policy area; that there was a need to clarify (and simplify) the legal base of EU social policy, and in particular the extent to which different aspects of social policy were areas of shared competence; and that it was doubtful whether, in a Union of 25 members, unanimity would offer a practicable means of agreeing measures in the social policy field.
Source: The Future of Europe: 'Social Europe', Fourteenth Report (Session 2002-03), HL 79, House of Lords European Union Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2003-Apr
A research report said that the voluntary sector was playing a greater role in designing and delivering polices such as those aiming to improve the environment, regenerate cities or assist older people. But it also highlighted growing tensions between leadership and participation within organisations, as well as between effectiveness in influencing policy and accountability to their membership.
Source: Marilyn Taylor, Diane Warburton, Tessa Parkes, Gary Craig and Mick Wilkinson, Willing Partners? Voluntary and community associations in the democratic process, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | ESRC press release
Date: 2003-Feb
A research study cast doubt on the reliability of internet polling. It said that it risks producing flawed results, irrespective of the weighting techniques applied.
Source: Ken Baker, John Curtice and Nick Sparrow, Internet Poll Trial: Research report, ICM Research (020 7436 3114)
Links: Report (pdf) | Guardian analysis
Date: 2003-Jan
Guidance was published for policy makers on regulatory impact assessments. It set out when policy makers are required to carry out an assessment, and how they should do so. It provided examples of good practice, and placed increased emphasis on wider economic, social and environmental impacts.
Source: Better Policy Making: A Guide to Regulatory Impact Assessment, Regulatory Impact Unit/Cabinet Office (020 7276 2198)
Links: Guide (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jan
A new edition of the 'Green Book' was published - a technical, best practice guide to the techniques and issues that should be considered when carrying out appraisals and evaluations of government policies, programmes and projects. (The previous edition was issued in 1997.)
Source: The Green Book: Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Green Book (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2003-Jan