Great Britain. Parliament House of Commons. Public Administration Select Committee's Books

House of Commons - Public Administration Select Committee: Trith to Power: How Civil Service Reforem Can Succeed - HC 74

How Civil Service Reform Can Succeed, Eighth Report of Session 2013-14, Vol. 1: Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral Evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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House of Commons - Public Administration Select Committee: Trith to Power: How Civil Service Reforem Can Succeed - HC 74

How Civil Service Reform Can Succeed, Eighth Report of Session 2013-14, Vol. 1: Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral Evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

The Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) has concluded a year-long inquiry into the future of the Civil Service with only one recommendation: that Parliament should establish a Joint Committee of both Houses to sit as a Commission on the future of the Civil Service. It should be constituted within the next few months and report before the end of the Parliament with a comprehensive change programme for Whitehall with a timetable to be implemented over the lifetime of the next Parliament. The Report considers the increased tensions between ministers and officials which have become widely reported, and places the problems in Whitehall in a wider context of a Civil Service built on the Northcote-Trevelyan settlement established in 1853 and the Haldane principles of ministerial accountability set out in 1919. The government's Civil Service Reform Plan lacks strategic coherence and clear leadership from a united team of ministers and officials. The Northcote-Trevelyan Civil Service remains the most effective way of supporting the democratically elected Government and future administrations in the UK. Divided leadership and confused accountabilities in Whitehall have led to problems: a low level of engagement amongst civil servants in some departments and agencies, and a general lack of trust and openness; the Civil Service exhibits the key characteristics of a failing organisation with the leadership are in denial about the scale of the challenge they face. There is a persistent lack of key skills and capabilities across Whitehall and an unacceptably high level of churn of lead officials, which is incompatible with good government.

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364

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The Stationery Office

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ISBN 10

0215061756

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9780215061751

House of Commons - Public Administration Select Committee (PASC): Latest Proposals for Ministerial Involvement in Permanent Security Appointments: PASC's Recommendations - HC 1041

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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House of Commons - Public Administration Select Committee (PASC): Latest Proposals for Ministerial Involvement in Permanent Security Appointments: PASC's Recommendations - HC 1041

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

At present the Prime Minister can only veto a candidate selected on merit. But new proposals put forward by the Civil Service Commission would give the Prime Minister the power to choose between two candidates considered equally well qualified for the role. This report follows a long-running debate between the Civil Service Commission and the Government on the appointment of lead permanent secretaries - the most senior civil servant in a department. In January 2014 the Civil Service Commission put out to consultation two proposals on expanding ministerial influence on the recruitment process. PASC has concluded that the first option - to formalise the recruitment panel's powers to seek, and take into account, the view of the relevant minister during the appointment process - should be adopted. The Committee has warned that the adoption of the Commission's second option - allowing the Prime Minster or Secretary of State to effectively appoint a permanent secretary by choosing between two candidates 'of equivalent merit' risks the appearance that the choice will be made on grounds other than merit alone

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ISBN 10

0215068882

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9780215068880

House of Commons - Public Administration Select Committee (PASC): The Failure of the Cabinet Office to Respond to our Report on the Business Appointment Rules, Published July 2012 - HC 1156

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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House of Commons - Public Administration Select Committee (PASC): The Failure of the Cabinet Office to Respond to our Report on the Business Appointment Rules, Published July 2012 - HC 1156

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

There has been concern in the last few years that former Ministers and Crown Servants have inappropriately used knowledge they gained in Government to seek new employment in other sectors. Over two years ago the Committee launched an inquiry to examine the effectiveness of the Business Appointment Rules in ensuring propriety in the future employment of former Ministers and senior Crown servants; and to consider the potential of the Big Society agenda to increase traffic through the "revolving door" between the public sector and business and the voluntary sector. The report "The Business Appointment Rules" was published on 17 July 2012. Some twenty months later, the Government has not responded to the Report. The Committee has raised this matter both through correspondence with the Rt Hon Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, and by way of Parliamentary Questions. The Committee views the Government failure to respond to a Select Committee Report as unacceptable behaviour and in this instance as obstructive and secretive, both showing a cavalier attitude in its responsibilities towards Parliament and thereby deliberately impeding a cross-party scrutiny of Government policy in this area.

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0215070518

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9780215070517

The work of committees in 2008-09

second report of session 2009-10, report, together with formal minutes and appendices

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Liaison Committee

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The work of committees in 2008-09

second report of session 2009-10, report, together with formal minutes and appendices

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Liaison Committee

work of committees In 2008-09 : Second report of session 2009-10, report, together with formal minutes and Appendices

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164

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0215544749

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9780215544742

Parliament and public appointments

pre-appointment hearings by select committees, third report of session 2007-08, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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Parliament and public appointments

pre-appointment hearings by select committees, third report of session 2007-08, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

This Report welcomes and responds to the Government's proposal to involve select committees in public appointments by inviting committees to hold non-binding pre-appointment hearings with nominees for key positions. The Report clarifies the purpose of these hearings: to expose nominees to parliamentary and public scrutiny before the final ministerial decision on the appointment, to increase the likelihood that those appointed will be effective in their accountability to Parliament and the public. The Report also establishes criteria to determine which posts should be subject to these hearings, and identifies major auditors, ombudsmen, regulators and inspectors, as well as those responsible for the appointments system itself; along with appointments normally made on merit but where Ministers have chosen not to follow the usual processes. Finally, the Report responds to concerns about involving select committees in public appointments, including several raised by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, and proposes ways of managing the risks identified, largely through a framework of clear protocols to be agreed between the Government and the Liaison Committee, and also by monitoring and reviewing the effect of the hearings on public appointments over time.

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0215038045

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9780215038043

The governance of Britain

first special report of session 2006-07

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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The governance of Britain

first special report of session 2006-07

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

This report, from the Public Administration Select Committee looks at the Governance of Britain Green Paper, as published on 3rd July 2007 (Cm.7170, ISBN 9780101717021). The stated aim of the document, by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, was "a new constitutional settlement that entrusts more power to Parliament and the British people", with two objectives as the bedrock to this approach: (i) to hold power more accountable; (ii) to uphold and enhance the rights and responsibilities of the citizen. The Committee commends the statement and the wide-ranging programme as set out in the Green Paper, and the call for wide consultation and cross-party input. The Committee sees the goals of a new constitutional settlement as ambitious and laudable, but which will require considerable care in establishing a rebalance, in the Committee's view, of the relationship between Government, Parliament and the public.

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0215035151

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9780215035158

Public engagement in policy making

second report of session 2013-14, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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Public engagement in policy making

second report of session 2013-14, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

In this report the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) calls for a "wiki" approach to policy-making, where public opinion, ideas and contributions are sought and welcome at any and all stages of the policy cycle. The Government should be able to demonstrate that it has adopted this approach alongside ministerial leadership and responsibility for policy and its outcomes. All policy making carries risks: a lack of appetite for participation, disappointment arising from unrealistic expectations and the dominance of vested interests. Government must frankly assess and address these risks in relation to open policy making. Digital technology has a significant role to play in opening up policy-making. Government could and should go further and embrace radical and innovative approaches, making use of existing platforms and technologies, such as Twitter. The success and impact of public engagement in policy-making must be effectively measured. Government must able to demonstrate value for money and improved outcomes with this new approach, particularly in a time of austerity. The Committee says proposals for both "open" and "contestable" policy-making demonstrate that Government recognises the value of public opinion in helping to identify problems and develop solutions. However, for open policy-making to work, it must be a genuine departure from more traditional forms of policy-making, where public engagement has usually only occurred after the Government has already determined a course of action. Care must be taken to ensure that open policy-making processes are not dominated by vested interests or 'the usual suspects' who are aware of policy 'opportunities'.

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132

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0215058739

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9780215058737

The Role of the Charity Commission and Public Benefit

Post Legislative Scrutiny of the Charities Act 2006, Third Report of Session 2013-14, Vol. 1: Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence

By: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Public Administration Select Committee

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The Role of the Charity Commission and Public Benefit

Post Legislative Scrutiny of the Charities Act 2006, Third Report of Session 2013-14, Vol. 1: Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence

By: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Public Administration Select Committee

This report into the implementation of the Charities Act 2006 finds the Charity Commission being asked to do too much, with too little. The charitable sector is at the heart of UK society, involving millions of people and £9.3 billion received in donations in 2011/2012. Around 25 new applications for charitable status are received by the Charity Commission every working day. Among the reports findings are: one of the keys tests set by the Charities Act 2006 for determining charitable status-the public benefit test-is critically flawed; the Government should revise the statutory objectives for the Charity Commission, to allow the Commission to focus its limited resources on regulating the sector; the proposal to increase the financial threshold for compulsory registration of a charity with the Charity Commission should be rejected; charities should publish their spending on campaigning and political activity. PASC criticises the way the Charity Commission has interpreted public benefit under the Act. The Committee also considered the impact of face-to-face fundraising, or "chugging"-on the street or on the doorstep-and warns that self-regulation has failed so far to generate the level of public confidence which is essential to maintain the reputation of the charitable sector. The evidence was clear that the regulation of fundraising remains a concern for many members of the public. Two in three people have reported feeling uncomfortable as a result of the fundraising methods used by some charities.

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238

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021505878X

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9780215058782

HC 1152 - Our Work in the 2010-2015 Parliament

By: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Public Administration Select Committee

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HC 1152 - Our Work in the 2010-2015 Parliament

By: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Public Administration Select Committee

As one of a small number of cross-government select committees, this Committee has gained a perspective on the state of Whitehall and its agencies which is not available to departmental select committees. Throughout the past five years, the recurring theme of their findings and recommendations reflects the importance of effective leadership in creating effective organisations. It is the positive or negative attitudes and behaviour in the people and the culture of an organisation which determines success or failure. Structures, processes and systems are important too, but preoccupation with these so often becomes a distraction from the real problems, which are about why people do not share information for the common good, collaborate effectively and trust one another. PASC took control of the process of selection of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) away from the Government altogether, so that for the first time Parliament has appointed its Ombudsman. They have also held many pre-appointment hearings for the Chairs of public bodies and were the first Select Committee to refuse to accept a government nomination for the chair of a public body. The Government was forced to re-run the selection for the post of Chair of the UK Statistics Authority under a new selection panel, and to propose a different candidate. They also hold hearings on PHSO's thematic reports, to interrogate and hold to account those who must respond to its recommendations. PASC has worked together effectively as a team despite political differences and the often controversial issues tackled

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0215085841

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9780215085849

A Debt of Honour

First Report of Session 2005-06; Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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A Debt of Honour

First Report of Session 2005-06; Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

This report examines the Government's compensation scheme for British civilians interned by the Japanese during the Second World War. It follows on from a report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration ('A Debt of Honour' HCP 324, session 2005-06, ISBN 0102934673), published in January 2005, which examined the case of Professor Jack Hayward who had been refused payment on the grounds of not meeting the eligibility criteria of 'Britishness'. The Ombudsman recommended that the Ministry of Defence should review the operation of the scheme and reconsider the position of Professor Hayward and others with similar circumstances. The Committee supports the Ombudsman's findings, and calls on the Government to recognise that a debt of honour is owed to British civilian internees and therefore to announce that it will change the rules on eligibility with the urgency and generosity of the scheme's original intention.

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0215026985

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9780215026989

Politics and administration

ministers and civil servants, third report of session 2006-07, Vol. 2: Oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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Politics and administration

ministers and civil servants, third report of session 2006-07, Vol. 2: Oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

Incorporating HCP 660-i-iv, session 2005-06, previously unpublished

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146

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0215033302

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9780215033307

Work of the Committee in 2007

fourth report of session 2007-08, report, together with formal minutes

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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Work of the Committee in 2007

fourth report of session 2007-08, report, together with formal minutes

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

Work of the Committee In 2007 : Fourth report of session 2007-08, report, together with formal Minutes

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0215038290

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9780215038296

Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry

Ninth Report of Session 2007-08, Report, Together with Formal Minutes and Oral Evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry

Ninth Report of Session 2007-08, Report, Together with Formal Minutes and Oral Evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

This report considers the case for Parliament to be able to initiate and conduct inquiries into serious and significant matters of public concern. It takes up the recommendationmade by this committiee's predecessor Committee (in the Government by Inquiry Report) that there should be a parliamentary mechanism for initiating inquiries. These would take the form of Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry, composed of parliamentarians and others. In the Report, the committee examines the justification for creating Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry in particular, that they would enable Parliament to hold the Executive to account more effectively. Then it covers some of the practical issues involved in setting up inquiries of this nature: how Parliament could instigate an inquiry, its composition, and its operation and powers. The committee concludes that it is crucial, in constitutional sense, that Parliament has the necessary powers and abilities to scrutinise the Executive and hold it to account. Proper parliamentary scrutiny should include the ability to establish and undertake inquiries into significant matters of public concern. Parliament has, in the past, conducted investigationsof this kind and as the great forum of the nation, should be expected to do so. The committee's recommendation for Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry would promoteeffective parliamentary accountability by creating a process for Parliament to initiate inquirieswhere it rather than the Executive sees fit.

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021552070X

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9780215520708

HC 703 - Government Horizon Scanning

Ninth Report of Session 2013-14

By: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Science and Technology,Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Science and Technology Committee,Andrew Miller

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HC 703 - Government Horizon Scanning

Ninth Report of Session 2013-14

By: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Science and Technology,Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Science and Technology Committee,Andrew Miller

The Government launched its new horizon scanning programme last July, stating that 'in a tight economic climate, it is more important than ever to have the best possible understanding of the world around us, and how that world is changing'. However, as it stands, the new programme is little more than an echo chamber for Government views. The new bodies that have been created consist entirely of Civil Servants, effectively excluding the vast pool of expertise that exists outside of government. The new programme does not even have a dedicated web presence to keep interested parties informed. The programme's failings are partially attributed to a lack of ministerial oversight. The Government also needs to recognise the potential role to be played in the new programme by the Government Office for Science (GO-Science), specifically the Foresight Unit. The relative lack of impact that the Foresight Unit has historically had on policy is largely a result of its non-central location in government. GO-Science is located in the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). In contrast, the new horizon scanning programme is located in the Cabinet Office. In choosing to situate the new horizon scanning programme in the Cabinet Office, the Government has recognised the importance of location and has thereby acknowledged the strength of this argument. GO-Science should be relocated from BIS to the Cabinet Office, where it can play a more central role in the new programme and more effectively fulfill its role of ensuring that the best scientific evidence is utilised across government

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0215071840

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9780215071842

Good government

eighth report of session 2008-09, Vol. 1: Report, together with formal minutes

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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Good government

eighth report of session 2008-09, Vol. 1: Report, together with formal minutes

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

This report draws on and consolidates the Committee's work over the past decade in order to identify enduring principles of good government. It also applies these principles to set out proposals for reforming British government. The report concludes that many aspects of Britain's governing structures and principles work well, despite opinions to the contrary that are sometimes expressed. PASC also finds, however, that there are significant features of Britain's political system that inhibit good government. In particular, PASC concludes there are too many ministers and a political culture too focused on responding to media demands. This has resulted in an excessive number of initiatives being launched and laws being introduced, which in turn reduces government's ability to decide and follow a clear and consistent direction. PASC urges government to place less emphasis on responding to short-term political pressures and instead urges a stronger focus on ensuring good basic administration in government. PASC's conclusions about government in Britain are based on five requirements that it has identified as prerequisites for good government: (1) Good people: the need to recruit and cultivate people with the right skills and abilities to undertake the work of government effectively; (2) Good process: appropriate structures, systems and procedures in place to develop and implement policies successfully; (3) Good accountability: adequate arrangements for holding both elected and appointed officials to account for their decisions and actions; (4) Good performance: effective performance assessment to identify how well government is meeting its objectives and where it could improve; (5) Good standards: high ethical standards exhibited by people in public life, underpinned by robust ethical regulation and strong ethical leadership.

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0215532244

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9780215532244

Parliament's role in conflict decisions

eighth report of session 2010-12, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Political and Constitutional Reform Committee

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Parliament's role in conflict decisions

eighth report of session 2010-12, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Political and Constitutional Reform Committee

In its report, the Committee recommends that "the Government should as a first step bring forward a draft detailed parliamentary resolution, for consultation with us among others, and for debate and decision by the end of 2011". The Committee points out that "much work in this direction has already been completed, and the process for decision should be relatively swift". The Committee welcomes the Foreign Secretary's commitment to enshrine Parliament's role in law, but says this is likely to be a longer-term project. Concerns around the feasibility of a statutory solution would need to be explored and resolved. The Committee also recommends that Parliament's current role in conflict decisions should be clearly described in the Cabinet Manual. The Manual, when published, is intended to be a single source of information for Ministers, civil servants and others on how government works. The issue of Parliament's role in decisions to commit British forces to armed conflict abroad was an area in which considerable work was carried out before the 2010 general election, particularly in the context of the war in Iraq, but without any concrete result. In its recent report on the constitutional implications of the Cabinet Manual, the committee commented on the "surprising" omission from the draft Manual of any mention of Parliament's role in decisions to commit troops to armed conflict. The issue became topical once again in the context of the ongoing military action in Libya.

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0215559584

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9780215559586

House of Commons - Justice Committee: Appointment of the Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints - HC 916

Eleventh Report of Session 2013-14, Report, Together with Formal Minutes Relating to the Report

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Justice Committee

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House of Commons - Justice Committee: Appointment of the Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints - HC 916

Eleventh Report of Session 2013-14, Report, Together with Formal Minutes Relating to the Report

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Justice Committee

The chairmanship of the Office for Legal Complaints is one of the posts which are subject to (non-binding) pre-appointment scrutiny by select committees. Elizabeth France was recruited to the position on 10 October 2008, and the Justice Committee took oral evidence from her on 21 October.

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0215065778

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9780215065773

Propriety and peerages

second report of session 2007-08, report and annex, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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Propriety and peerages

second report of session 2007-08, report and annex, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

The Committee has a long standing interest in the administration of the honours system, the award of peerages and standards of conduct in public life. Partly as a result of allegations concerning the possible offer of peerages in return for political donations they undertook this inquiry into the system of scrutiny of the propriety of honours and peerages for political services. The main proposal is for an immediate House of Lords reform measure, which would put the independent House of Lords Appointments Commission onto a statutory footing and empower it to take decisions on the size, balance and composition of the House against agreed and explicit criteria. However the Government does not need to wait for legislation as it could immediately decide that new peers should be chosen by the Appointments Commission from a long list provided and published by the parties. The Committee also recommend that the link between honours and a seat in the legislature should be broken. The first is a reward for past service; the latter is for potential future service.

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168

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0215037804

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9780215037800

Goats and tsars

ministerial and other appointments from outside Parliament, eighth report of session 2009-10, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

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Goats and tsars

ministerial and other appointments from outside Parliament, eighth report of session 2009-10, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

This report from the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) concludes that the practice of appointing ministers from outside Parliament via the House of Lords should be exceptional and subject to more checks and balances. Introducing a wider range of experience into ministerial teams can sometimes make government more effective, but government could also achieve this by making greater use of the range of talent on their own backbenches. The Committee argues for more scrutiny of outside appointments when they are made. The Prime Minister would be required to explain to the House of Commons why an appointment had been made, under what terms and what was expected of the minister during their time in government. The prospective appointee could be required to attend a pre-appointment select committee hearing. PASC identifies a strong argument of principle that ministers in an unelected House of Lords should be accountable to all Members of the House of Commons. People who have been appointed to the Lords to be ministers should not automatically receive a title and place in the legislature for life. It may be preferable to have a limited number of ministers who are members of neither House but accountable to both. The Committee also examined the role of so-called 'tsars'. There should be much more transparency about such appointments, with greater clarity about their roles and responsibilities and a public statement of what they have achieved in their posts.

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0215544617

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9780215544612

The work of the Local Government Ombudsman

third report of session 2012-13, Vol. 1: Report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Communities and Local Government Committee

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The work of the Local Government Ombudsman

third report of session 2012-13, Vol. 1: Report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

By: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Communities and Local Government Committee

The Communities and Local Government Committee calls on the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) to raise its game significantly. To deliver its role as independent arbitrator in disputes about unfair treatment or service failure by local authorities, the Local Government Ombudsman must tackle operational inefficiencies rapidly and conduct its own activities with credible effectiveness. The LGO must implement the changes identified by the recent Strategic Business Review. The LGO management's rationale for not publishing the 2011 Strategic Business Review in full was unconvincing and suggests there may be insufficient appetite for change within the LGO. The LGO must explain which findings from the Strategic Business Review will be implemented in full and in part, and provide a timetable for this. It also needs to set out the arrangements and timetable for appointing the new Chief Operating Officer (and their responsibilities). In future the LGO must be completely clear with all parties about the criteria it applies in order to determine whether cases are assigned to be resolved through a mediated process to achieve redress, or are allocated for full investigation and formal determination. Likewise the LGO must be transparent about the procedures that apply when any case is moved from one process to another - such as when mediation fails. The Government must explain how it will monitor the implementation of reorganisation at the LGO. An annual, independent staff survey should be reinstated at the LGO with results published.

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0215046811

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9780215046819

First review of the National Security Strategy 2010

first report of session 2010-12, report, together with formal minutes

By: Great Britain: Parliament: Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy

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First review of the National Security Strategy 2010

first report of session 2010-12, report, together with formal minutes

By: Great Britain: Parliament: Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy

In this report the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy finds that the National Security Strategy should address more fundamental questions about the UK's role in the world and its relationship with the USA and other allies. The Strategy also needs to be subject to a much wider public debate. The Committee says that: there is no evidence that the NSS has influenced decisions made since the Strategic Defence and Security Review; there should be an "overarching strategy", a document designed to guide government decision-making and crisis management both at home and on the international stage; the Government's assertion that there will be no reduction in the UK's influence on the world stage is wholly unrealistic in the medium to long term and the UK needs to plan for a changing, and more partnership-dependent, role in the world. The Government's unwillingness to provide the Committee with all the information it has asked for about the National Security Risk Assessment means that it is unable to give Parliament any assurances about its adequacy. The report also notes concern that the National Security Council's oversight of security issues is not sufficiently broad and strategic, given that it was deeply involved in operations in Libya and failed to discuss the national security implications of the Eurozone crisis or the possibility of Scottish independence.

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The Stationery Office

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ISBN 10

0108475336

ISBN 13

9780108475337

Book's by Great Britain. Parliament House of Commons. Public Administration Select Committee

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