Recommendations & Conclusions
9 items
1
Conclusion
First Report - The role and status of t…
Accepted
The lack of a statutory definition of the roles of the Prime Minister or the Cabinet in the UK has been reflected in the evolution of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Office. As Prime Ministers have sought to increase their strategic leadership and policy role, the …
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The lack of a statutory definition of the roles of the Prime Minister or the Cabinet in the UK has been reflected in the evolution of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Office. As Prime Ministers have sought to increase their strategic leadership and policy role, the Office of the Prime Minister (Number 10) has expanded and adapted to reflect that. They have also drawn on the supposedly collective resource of the Cabinet Office in the process.
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Government response AI summary
The government describes the close working relationship and shared resources between the Prime Minister's Office and the Cabinet Office, highlighting recent organizational changes such as a new Delivery Unit in No10 and a Government Strategic Management Office.
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2
Recommendation
First Report - The role and status of t…
Acknowledged
There should be a clearer delineation between those resources provided to support the Prime Minister and the support for collective government and cross-government activity more generally. (Paragraph 36) Accountability
Government response AI summary
The government describes the existing integrated structure of the Prime Minister's Office and Cabinet Office, notes recent structural changes, and acknowledges there is scope for further consideration and continuous improvement of systems.
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3
Conclusion
First Report - The role and status of t…
Rejected
The Office of the Prime Minister is nominally a business unit of the Cabinet Office. However, it currently it appears to operate with even less transparency than other Cabinet Office business units. The Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts do not include a narrative report on the Office of the …
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The Office of the Prime Minister is nominally a business unit of the Cabinet Office. However, it currently it appears to operate with even less transparency than other Cabinet Office business units. The Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts do not include a narrative report on the Office of the Prime Minister as they do for its other business units. And governments have declined to respond to Parliamentary Questions about its organisation. This is not acceptable.
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Government response AI summary
The government explains that narrative sections are not for all business units and that separating the Prime Minister's Office would be misleading due to its integrated relationship with the Cabinet, asserting the current approach is appropriate.
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4
Recommendation
First Report - The role and status of t…
Rejected
We do not consider the status of the Office of Prime Minister as a business unit to be an accurate reflection of the role that it plays. Yet it currently operates with even less transparency that this status suggests. For so long as the Government maintains that it is a …
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We do not consider the status of the Office of Prime Minister as a business unit to be an accurate reflection of the role that it plays. Yet it currently operates with even less transparency that this status suggests. For so long as the Government maintains that it is a business unit of the Cabinet Office, the Government should report on its activities in the Annual Report and Accounts as it does for its other business units. And in its response to Parliamentary Questions, it should provide information as it does for its other business units.
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Government response AI summary
The government rejects the recommendation to report on the Prime Minister's Office activities as it does for other business units. It argues that doing so would be misleading and difficult due to the historical and ongoing close relationship and overlapping responsibilities between the Prime Minister …
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5
Recommendation
First Report - The role and status of t…
Rejected
In its Single Departmental Plan, the objectives of supporting the Prime Minister should be disaggregated from the support provided to the Cabinet or the Government more generally.
Government response AI summary
The government rejects the recommendation, stating that disaggregating the Prime Minister's support from the Cabinet's would be misleading and difficult due to their historically close relationship and overlapping responsibilities. They explain that the Annual Report and Accounts do not cover all business units.
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6
Conclusion
First Report - The role and status of t…
Accepted
We have heard little evidence to support the creation of a separate Department for the Prime Minister. The current Office of the Prime Minister is too small and much of its workforce too transient to be sensibly treated as a distinct department. The creation of a larger department, bringing together …
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We have heard little evidence to support the creation of a separate Department for the Prime Minister. The current Office of the Prime Minister is too small and much of its workforce too transient to be sensibly treated as a distinct department. The creation of a larger department, bringing together Number 10, the Cabinet Office and perhaps parts of HM Treasury has its supporters. However, the detail of this and how it might work are beyond the remit of this inquiry. Moreover, at least some of the benefits could be achieved through better collective working and a clearer specification of the respective roles of Number 10 and the Cabinet Office.
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Government response AI summary
The government explains the difficulty in delineating the work of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and highlights existing efforts through Outcome Delivery Plans and the Declaration of Government Reform that aim to improve planning, performance, and collective working at the centre of government.
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7
Conclusion
First Report - The role and status of t…
Not Addressed
Whilst the creation of a separate department would help to resolve some of the accountability issues that have concerned us in this inquiry, these could be resolved more easily through greater transparency within the existing arrangements. (Paragraph 50) 22 The role and status of the Prime Minister’s Office
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Whilst the creation of a separate department would help to resolve some of the accountability issues that have concerned us in this inquiry, these could be resolved more easily through greater transparency within the existing arrangements. (Paragraph 50) 22 The role and status of the Prime Minister’s Office
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Government response AI summary
The government explains the difficulty in delineating the work of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for transparency purposes and points to existing initiatives like Outcome Delivery Plans and the Declaration of Government Reform to improve general government efficiency and accountability.
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8
Conclusion
First Report - The role and status of t…
Accepted
Increasing the direct accountability of the most senior Spads in Number 10 in this way would reflect the quasi-executive role that some have assumed. However, to do so would be to accept this quasi-executive role. The principle that “advisers advise, ministers decide” should remain the practice and Ministers, including the …
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Increasing the direct accountability of the most senior Spads in Number 10 in this way would reflect the quasi-executive role that some have assumed. However, to do so would be to accept this quasi-executive role. The principle that “advisers advise, ministers decide” should remain the practice and Ministers, including the Prime Minister, should remain accountable to Parliament for the conduct of their advisers. To this end, much greater clarity around the roles that Spads can play and their relationship with officials may be needed. The Committee will be undertaking a dedicated inquiry into Special Advisers later in the Parliament when we will consider this in more detail.
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Government response AI summary
The government states that the existing Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, along with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and Model Contract, already provide clear parameters for their roles and ensure ministerial accountability. It asserts that the current Code sufficiently clarifies what Special …
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9
Recommendation
First Report - The role and status of t…
Accepted
The role of Special Advisers in Number 10 has evolved to such a degree that some have played a quasi-executive role. This is wrong. It undermines both ministerial accountability to Parliament and collective responsibility on the part of Cabinet. Ministers, including the Prime Minister, should remain fully accountable for the …
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The role of Special Advisers in Number 10 has evolved to such a degree that some have played a quasi-executive role. This is wrong. It undermines both ministerial accountability to Parliament and collective responsibility on the part of Cabinet. Ministers, including the Prime Minister, should remain fully accountable for the actions of the Special Advisers. It is the responsibility of Prime Ministers to ensure that their Special Advisers work within the proper parameters of their role and of senior officials as well as of other Cabinet members, to reinforce this. (Paragraph 57) The role and status of the Prime Minister’s Office 23
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Government response AI summary
The government asserts that the roles and accountability of Special Advisers are already clearly defined by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 and the Code of Conduct, and that Ministers remain fully accountable for their actions within these existing parameters.
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