Governance Project: Final Report

This Report provides, through 11 sets of Recommendations, pragmatic and implementable solutions to weaknesses in the governance standards of the UK. Recent years have seen growing concerns about aspects of the way the UK is governed. Examples include concerns about standards of conduct of those in Ministerial, and other public, office; the management of conflicts between personal and national interests; the way in which appointments are made to the House of Lords and other public offices; weaknesses in Parliament’s ability to scrutinise the work of Government, including the increased use of secondary legislation to make important law; and relationships between the Government and the Civil Service. To an extent the concerns reflect the fluid nature of the UK constitution, the lack of hard-edged controls on the exercise of power, and the reliance on “conventions” or practices (of varying degrees of formality, clarity and enforceability, the “good chap” theory) which have increasingly proved to be inadequate. The result is that decisions are often seen to have been motivated not by the national interest; and not subject to proper accountability or scrutiny, in particular to, and by, Parliament. Public confidence in our governing institutions is low. The Recommendations are made by a party-neutral Commission, with deep personal experience of the issues, having reviewed the wealth of valuable research and published material in the relevant fields. The Recommendations could be easily implemented, without material cost, by a Government of any political composition that wanted effective reform, better governance and more effective government in the UK. The 11 sets of Recommendations are grouped around: restoring high standards of integrity in public office; enhancing the role of Parliament; better working between Government and the Civil Service; and protection of our democracy.