The Centre for Management and Policy Studies: Better Policy Making

Better policy-making has the potential to secure public confidence through greater transparency. The introduction of the Freedom of Information Act, and recent public concern about the handling of BSE, for example, have underlined the need to maintain public confidence in the policy-making process.

 

HM Treasury: The Green Book: Appraisal & Evaluation in Central Government

2.13 The ultimate outcome of any appraisal is a decision whether or not to proceed with a proposal or a particular option. As these decisions will often have far reaching consequences, the presentation of the conclusions and recommendations to decision makers and key stakeholders can be as important as the analysis itself. In all cases, transparency is vital. Presentations and reports should be clear, logical, well founded, and geared towards helping the decision at hand.
2.14 Reports should provide sufficient evidence to support their conclusions and recommendations. They should provide an easy audit trail for the reader to check calculations, supporting evidence and assumptions.
6.1 Following the identification and description of all costs, benefits and risks, their valuation where feasible, and their testing through sensitivity and scenario analysis, the best option should be selected. Transparency is important at this stage, so that it is clear on what basis decisions are taken.