3. The drive to professionalise policy making 25
2003: The ROAMEF policy cycle
Away from the structural changes, guidance on the policy process was also evolving. In 2003, the Treasury published the new version of its “binding guidance for departments and executive
agencies” on the appraisal and evaluation of government action.
45
Figure 3 – ROAMEF policy cycle
The Green Book, as it is known, set out a ‘policy cycle’ to represent the desired policy process:
Source: HM Treasury, The Green Book, 2003
In this ‘ROAMEF’ cycle, each stage follows on rationally from the previous one, so that a rationale is developed, then objectives are set, then options are appraised.
46
45
HM Treasury, The Green Book: Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government, 2003, p. v. Green Book available at: http:www.hm-treasury.gov.ukdgreen_book_complete.pdf
The ROAMEF cycle presents policy making as a controllable sequence where ‘the government’ produces a ‘policy’
that addresses a clear goal. The policy represents a set of planned actions that are then implemented, with monitoring to assess the extent to which the goal was fulfilled. The
framework is technocratic, with politics, values and events seen as external ‘noise’ that needs to be minimised.
46
Ibid.
3. The drive to professionalise policy making 26 The Green Book claimed that the ROAMEF cycle was based on some departments’ existing
guidance, but its publication has also allowed the approach to spread through government further.
47
For example, policy cycles constitute the current policy making guidance for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Education, and the Home
Office.
48
2004: Professional Skills for Government
A new phase in the approach to improving policy making was signalled by a 2004 speech by Tony Blair called ‘Civil Service Reform: Delivery and Values’.
49
The speech emphasised existing approaches, such as the need for more ‘a more strategic and innovative approach to policy’, and
the shift away from policy advice to delivery. But it also led to a major new programme called Professional Skills for Government, which aimed to make “professionalism ‘a defining
characteristic for policy makers and operational staff as much as for specialists’”
50
Accordingly, the programme defined policy making as a ‘professional skill’, with an accompanying Policy Profession to oversee its development.
51
The Profession is led by a board of senior policy leaders, with a network of Heads of Profession in each department. They aim to
strengthen policy making by setting standards for assessing performance; helping policy makers build knowledge and share best practice; and building a cross-government policy community.
52
47
See, for example, ODPM, Assessing the Impacts of Spatial Interventions, 2004, available at: http:www.communities.gov.ukdocumentscorporatepdf146865.pdf; Government Social Research, Analysis
for Policy: Evidence-based policy in practice, 2007, available at: http:www.civilservice.gov.ukAssetsAnalysis20for20Policy20report_tcm6-4148.pdf; BIS, Impact
Assessment Guidance, 2010, available at: http:www.bis.gov.ukassetsBISCorebetter-regulationdocs10- 898-impact-assessment-guidance.pdf
48
The models of policy best practice listed here are not public, but were provided to the Institute for Government on request.
49
Tony Blair’s speech at the Civil Service Reform: Delivery and Values event, 24 February 2004, available at: http:webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk+number10.gov.ukpage5399
50
Cabinet Office, Civil Service Reform: Delivery and Values, 2004, p.5; available at: http:umbr1.cabinetoffice.gov.ukmedia205077delivery_values.pdf
51
http:www.civilservice.gov.ukaboutimprovingpsgpsg-identifierframework-policy-profession.aspx; http:www.civilservice.gov.ukmy-civil-servicenetworksprofessionalpolicy-professionindex.aspx
52
http:www.civilservice.gov.ukmy-civil-servicenetworksprofessionalpolicy-professionheads-policy- profession.aspx
3. The drive to professionalise policy making 27
2005: Capability Reviews
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