Committees

Revision of the Cabinet Manual

Inquiry

The Cabinet Manual was first published in 2011 and provides authoritative guidance to ministers and officials by recording (rather than prescribing) rules and practice relating to the operation of government.

The Manual is not intended to be a fixed text and is expected to adapt to legislative and constitutional developments. Since the Manual’s publication there have been significant developments in relation to Brexit, the devolution arrangements and the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Constitution Committee is exploring whether the Manual needs to be updated and what role it should play as a public facing document.

Reports, special reports and government responses

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6th Report - Revision of the Cabinet Manual
Inquiry Revision of the Cabinet Manual
Committees Constitution Committee
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HL Paper 34
Report
Response to this report
Letter from Baroness Drake, Chair, to the Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Minister for the Union, on the Government Response to the House of Lords' Constitution Committee report on the Revision of the Cabinet Manual (6th Report, Session 2021-22, HL Paper 34), 16 May 2022
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Correspondence
Response to this report
Government response to the Committee's report on Revision of the Cabinet Manual, 7 February 2022
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Government Response

Oral evidence transcripts

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17 May 2021
Inquiry Revision of the Cabinet Manual
Witnesses Simon Case (Cabinet Secretary at Cabinet Office)
Committees Constitution Committee
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108KB
Oral Evidence
26 April 2021
Inquiry Revision of the Cabinet Manual
Witnesses Lord Sedwill (former Cabinet Secretary at Cabinet Office), and Lord O'Donnell (former Cabinet Secretary at Cabinet Office)
Committees Constitution Committee
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161KB
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171KB
Oral Evidence

Written evidence

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RCM0001 - Revision of the Cabinet Manual
Witnesses Professor Matthew Flinders (Professor of Politics at The University of Sheffield)
Committees Constitution Committee
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57KB
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23KB
Written Evidence
RCM0002 - Revision of the Cabinet Manual
Witnesses Dr Andrew Blick (Reader in Politics and Contemporary History and Head of Department of Political Economy at King's College London)
Committees Constitution Committee
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70KB
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57KB
Written Evidence
RCM0003 - Revision of the Cabinet Manual
Witnesses Associate Professor Grant Duncan (Associate Professor at Massey University)
Committees Constitution Committee
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55KB
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22KB
Written Evidence

Other publications

Government Responses
The Government has undertaken to respond to most committee reports within two months, although there are exceptions to this rule.
1 published
Correspondence
Committees exchange letters with government departments and others, often to request information or follow up on recommendations.
3 published

Contact us

  • Email: constitution@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 5960 (committee staff) | 020 7219 8286 (Press Officer)
  • Address: Constitution Committee, House of Lords, London SW1A 0PW