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Lords Committee inquiry into Cabinet Office continues

8 July 2009 (updated on 22 April 2010)

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The House of Lords Constitution Committee hears evidence at 11am for its inquiry into the contemporary workings of the Cabinet Office and the centre of government.

Giving evidence to the Committee will be:

11am

  • Sir Michael Bichard, former departmental Permanent Secretary (1995-2001)
  • Rachel Lomax, former departmental Permanent Secretary

11.45am

  • Geoff Mulgan, former Director of Policy, 10 Downing Street
  • Sir Michael Barber, former Head, Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit

The Committee's inquiry seeks to investigate the role of the Cabinet Office in the light of the changing nature of British governance.

The inquiry looks into all aspects of the work of the Cabinet Office, and in particular considers:

  • how the work of the Cabinet Office is now understood and defined both within and outside government;
  • the effect of a shift in resources from departments to the centre;
  • how the Cabinet Office’s relationships with all units across Whitehall and beyond, including at a European and devolved level, have altered;
  • the impact of change in terms of improving Whitehall’s policy-making capacity; and
  • what issues are raised concerning the Cabinet Office’s constitutional position at the ‘centre of government’, notably in terms of responsibility and accountability to Parliament and more broadly, the public.