On Tuesday, I gave evidence to the Public Administration Select Committee as part of its inquiry into the future of the civil service. I was appearing alongside Professors Anthony King (Essex) and Matthew Flinders (Sheffield). Anyone wishing to watch the session can do so here, though to make sense of some of my comments you…
I gave evidence to the Public Administration Committee in the Commons last November as part of its inquiry into Smaller Government: what do ministers do? and was subsequently appointed as a specialist adviser to the committee in order to assist in the drafting of the report. The report has now been published, arguing that reducing…
Last Tuesday, I gave evidence, along with Peter Riddell and Professor Robert Hazell, to the Public Administration Committee in the Commons on whether or not there were too many ministers. We were agreed that there are too many, with the number now appointed, along with Parliamentary Private Secretaries, creating too great a payroll vote in the…
The Easter recess dates have been announced and we now seem to be working to the following timetable. The House rises for the Easter recess on Tuesday 30 March. It returns on Tuesday 6 April, when it is assumed the election will be announced, with ‘wash-up’ taking place from then until Thursday 8 April. Parliament…
On 11 June, the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) in the Commons held a seminar, drawing on former diplomats, those who had chaired inquiries, and MPs and peers, in order to discuss how an inquiry into the Iraq war could and should be conducted. I was one of the participants. It was an extremely productive gathering.…
