A think-tank report examined what the government's ambitions to harness 'people power' would mean in practice for future policies.
Source: Stella Creasy (ed.), Participation Nation: Reconnecting citizens to the public realm, Involve (020 7632 0120)
Links: Report | Involve press release
Date: 2007-Dec
An article examined critically the idea that setting up public inquiries was an effective way of reducing the amount of public and media attention given to the issues concerned.
Source: Raanan Sulitzeanu-Kenan, 'Scything the grass: agenda-setting consequences of appointing public inquiries in the UK: a longitudinal analysis', Policy & Politics, Volume 35 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Nov
The government announced (in the Queen's Speech) its plans for legislation in the 2007-2008 parliamentary session, including 20 new Bills, 7 Draft Bills, and 3 Bills carried over from the previous session.
Source: Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech to Both Houses of Parliament, 6 November 2007, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Queens Speech | Downing Street press release | Hansard | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Nov
A government report reviewed the process of public consultation in relation to the government's draft legislative programme (published for the first time in advance of the Queen's Speech, in July 2007). It was a 'good idea' to publish a draft legislative programme to make the process more open. Although it should not be the sole process for engaging with the public on the content of individual Bills, the process had the potential to complement and help to publicize wider processes. It would be better to publish the draft programme earlier, in order to allow time for more extensive processes.
Source: The Government's Draft Legislative Programme – Taking a Wider View, Cm 7248, Office of the Leader of the House of Commons, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Nov
A new book examined the Labour government's approach to the civil service. Claims about the end of the 'Whitehall model' and the emergence of a 'differentiated polity' should be treated with caution. Labour's reforms could be understood as an attempt to sustain the asymmetric position of the core executive in the policy-making arena.
Source: David Richards, New Labour and the Civil Service: Reconstituting the Westminster model, Palgrave Macmillan (01256 329242)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Nov
A new book examined contemporary policy-making and the competencies required for good policy-making in government.
Source: Hugh Bochel and Sue Duncan (eds.), Making Policy in Theory and Practice, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Oct
A discussion paper examined the erosion of the rule of law, and in particular the imbalance in power between the executive and legislature.
Source: Roger Smith, The Future of the Rule of Law, JUSTICE (020 7329 5100)
Links: Discussion paper
Date: 2007-Oct
A new book examined the contribution interest groups made to the democratic involvement of citizens. It considered how interest groups were formed, and how they maintained themselves – focusing specifically on the supply-side dimension of group membership.
Source: Grant Jordan and William Maloney, Democracy and Interest Groups: Enhancing participation?, Palgrave Macmillan (01256 329242)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Aug
The government published a statement of its draft legislative programme before the summer parliamentary recess (breaking with the custom of disclosing the programme only in the Queen's Speech in the autumn).
Source: The Governance of Britain: The Government?s Draft Legislative Programme, Cm 7175, Leader of the House of Commons, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Statement | Hansard | Downing Street press release | Conservative Party press release | BBC report
Date: 2007-Jul
A think-tank report set out a programme for revitalizing democracy. It proposed: greater power for Parliament, including powers to initiate legislation; abolishing the undefined prerogative powers of the executive; a fully elected House of Lords; devolution of power to local government, and a duty for local authorities to involve local people and communities; and a written constitution.
Source: Hetan Shah and Sue Goss (eds.), Democracy and the Public Realm, Compass (020 7463 0633)
Links: Report | Compass press release
Date: 2007-Jun
A Member of Parliament introduced a Bill designed to establish a 'citizen's convention' to facilitate the involvement of people from all sections of society in considering they way in which the United Kingdom was governed.
Source: Citizens' Convention Bill, Julia Goldsworthy MP, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | Unlock Democracy press release
Date: 2007-Jun
The government began consultation on how it consulted businesses, the third sector, and citizens when it made significant decisions. It said that it wanted to improve the effectiveness of consultation by looking at what questions were asked, who was asked, and how the government could best take into account the feedback it received.
Source: Effective Consultation, Cabinet Office (020 7261 8527)
Links: Consultation document | Cabinet Office press release | Personnel Today report
Date: 2007-Jun
A new book examined constitutional changes under New Labour since 1997.
Source: Andrew McDonald (ed.), Reinventing Britain: Constitutional change under New Labour, Politico's Publishing (0870 850 1110)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Jun
A think-tank report examined the possibilities for further constitutional reforms - aimed at reconnecting individuals and communities to the state; narrowing the gap between the represented and their representatives; bringing power closer to the people; and ensuring that these democratic reforms were achieved in a manner that maintained high standards of law making, scrutiny, and delivery.
Source: Chris Bryant (ed.), Towards a New Constitutional Settlement, Smith Institute (020 7592 3618)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Jun
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on long-term policy issues in government, and the ways in which Parliament and the public were engaged in the process. It said that it was committed to making strategic thinking and planning in government as open and rigorous a process as possible.
Source: Government Response to the Public Administration Select Committee's Second Report of Session 2006-2007 'Governing the Future', Cm 7145, Cabinet Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2007-Jun
A report made recommendations designed to provide a secure legal basis for campaigning activities by voluntary bodies.
Source: (Untitled) Report of Advisory Group on Campaigning and the Voluntary Sector, Bates Wells & Braithwaite (020 7551 7777)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-May
A report examined the role of organizations campaigning for progressive social change. It made a series of recommendations intended to support campaigning organizations in raising awareness and responding to pressing and unmet needs.
Source: Paul Hilder with Julie Caulier-Grice and Kate Lalor, Contentious Citizens: Civil society?s role in campaigning for social change, Young Foundation (020 8980 6263)
Links: Report | Summary | Young Foundation press release
Date: 2007-May
A think-tank report advocated a package of reforms designed to transfer power from 'remote ?lites' down to individuals and communities, and to open up the political process.
Source: Open Politics, Centre for Policy Studies (020 7222 4488)
Links: Report | CPS press release
Date: 2007-May
A think-tank report said that the Whitehall policy-making process was closed and insular; that there was a gulf between those designing policy in Whitehall and those delivering it on the front-line; and that policy was not evaluated on a systematic and ongoing basis.
Source: Guy Lodge and Susanna Kalitowski, Innovations in Government: International perspectives on civil service reform, Institute for Public Policy Research (020 7470 6100)
Links: Report | IPPR press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Apr
A taskforce set up by the opposition Conservative Party called for a new ministerial code designed to ensure that government became more open, democratic, and accountable to Parliament. It also called for greater influence by the cabinet, and less by the Prime Minister, over government decisions.
Source: Roger Gough (for Democracy Task Force), An End to Sofa Government, Conservative Party (020 7222 9000)
Links: Report | Conservative Party press release | ERS press release
Date: 2007-Mar
A report by a committee of MPs examined the range of mechanisms which the government used to consider long-term policy issues, and the ways in which Parliament and the public were engaged in the process. Although successive governments had done a great deal to improve strategic capacity, and the existing government had taken this process further, there was still room for improvement. A strong central strategy unit was essential: but departmental ministers needed to be more closely involved in its work.
Source: Governing the Future, Second Report (Session 2006-07), HC 123, House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Mar
A report by a committee of MPs said that the independence of civil servants should be enshrined in law: but also that ministers should be given more say in the appointment of senior officials.
Source: Politics and Administration: Ministers and Civil Servants, Third Report (Session 2006-07), HC 122, House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Mar
The High Court ruled that the consultation process in 2006 on the government's nuclear power plans had been 'misleading', 'seriously flawed', and 'procedurally unfair'. The government said that it would not appeal: instead it would postpone publication of its White Paper on energy, and consult again.
Source: Greenpeace Ltd, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, High Court 15 February 2007 | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 22 February 2007, columns 63-64WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of judgement | DTI press release | Hansard | Greenpeace press release | SDC press release | RTPI press release | CBI press release | BBC report | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2) | FT report
Date: 2007-Feb
A think-tank report examined how 'citizens' initiatives' could revitalize politics (citizens' initiatives would allow voters both to propose and to vote on legislation, bypassing the legislature).
Source: Matt Qvortrup, Supply Side Politics: How citizens' initiatives could revitalise British politics, Centre for Policy Studies (020 7222 4488)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Feb
A report said that the system of government in the United Kingdom was failing. Successive governments had increasingly taken responsibility away from civil society and local government, and centralized it in the hands of about 20 ministers. Government had become a conglomerate of monopoly services managed by politicians and civil servants, who lacked the necessary management experience and knowledge.
Source: Patrick Barbour, Better Government, TaxPayers? Alliance (0845 330 9554)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Jan
A new book examined the role of Parliament in the formulation and scrutiny of welfare policy, focusing in particular on how MPs and peers viewed their influence on policy.
Source: Hugh Bochel and Andrew Defty, Welfare Policy under New Labour: Views from inside Westminster, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Jan