Policy Cycle Part 1

What is Public Policy?
1. The outcome of formal politics
2. Set of ideas/proposals for action, culminating in a government decision
3. Implemented at all levels, from EU to local gov.
4. Can be made at one level and implemented at another
5. Can be made on a territorial basis
  1. E.g. Scottish Parliament implement policing policy, police themselves decide how to put policy into practice
6. Policies on areas such as housing, education, paternity leave, immigration etc.
Stage 1: Agenda Setting
1. John Kingdon- 3 streams that need to conjoin
  1. Recognition of a problem (problem stream)
  2. Identification of possible solution (policy stream)
  3. The requisite opportunities, time, accession to power of a party prepared to act (political stream)
2. Stage where politicians try to get public and crucial sectors to see the issue in the way they desire
3. Need assurance that their idea has public suport
4. Not all proposals can be taken further, so having proof of public support is an advantage
5. The media have a massive impact on public support, and in turn, whether a policy is considered or not
  1. E.g. Michael Buerk, television newsreader, showed famine and chaos in Ehtiopia, which initiated action from UK gov.
  2. Politicians can use media to their advantage, to almost twist the arms of the government
    1. E.g. Tony Blair stating on television that fox hunting WOULD be banned in 1999
  3. Media effects the climate in which policy is discussed
    1. Rupert Murdoch was thought to advise Tony Blair to a degree, due to regular visits to Downing Street, all greeted with warm welcome
6. 6 main initiators
  1. General Public
  2. Cause groups, media, academics
  3. Extra parliamentary parties, party groupings
    1. Party groupings- parliamentary think tanks such as Fabian Society (West wing) and The Institute for Public Policy Research (Labour think tank, consistently presenting research and feeding into ideas
  4. Parliament, party sources, select committees and Opposition
  5. Ministers, civil servants. inquiries, key economic groups, think tanks
  6. Prime Minister Cabinet, Cabinet Office Policy Unit, Policy Advisers
Policy Formulation
1. Detailed examination and elaboration after agenda receives political endorsement
2. Key players in this stage
  1. Civil Servants
  2. Pressure Group Leaders
  3. Media and academic experts
  4. Ministers
3. Learning phase, where civil servants and ministers acquaint themselves with detail of the measure, close contact with practitioners and experts in necessary fields
4. The bureaucratic process
  1. Numerous information gathering and advisory committee meetings
  2. Sequences of coordinating meetings with other ministries, e.g. if finance is involved then meetings with the Treasury
5. The Legislative Process
  1. Readings and debates in both chambers
  2. Influences the shape the legislation takes
  3. Politicians must have clear and stated points to be successful in their debates
Decision Making
1. A decision will be made over whether to implement a certain policy
2. Policy is set out in a bill before House of Commons and the House of Lords
  1. However the House of Lords can only delay most bills for a year
Constraints on Policy Makers
1. They are accountable to the public an under constant scrutiny
2. Powerful and influential pressure groups breathe down the neck of policy makers, as a way to reach their ends
3. Financial Resources-operate realistically within financial limits
4. Political support- necessary to gain endorsement for a policy idea, resistance to policies can kill them off en route- e.g. poll tax
5. Competence of key personnel
6. Time constraints
7. Timing- if timing isn't good then policy will fail, a good time is considered to be after a General Election
8. Coordination of the policy between various departments
9. Geographical bias

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Policy Cycle Part 1

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	Created by Amy Gregor almost 9 years ago