Number 10 Policy Unit
Encyclopedia
The Number 10 Policy Unit is a body of policymakers in 10 Downing Street
in the British
government. Originally set up to support Harold Wilson
in 1974, it has gone through a series of guises to suit the needs of successive Prime Ministers, staffed variously by political advisers, civil servants or a combination of both.
The Coalition Government of May 2010 quickly disbanded two major parts of central infrastructure, the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit (PMDU)
and Prime Minister's Strategy Unit (PMSU)
, as part of the Prime Minister's agenda to reduce the number of special advisers and end micromanagement of Whitehall
. In their place, a strengthened Policy and Implementation Unit was launched in early 2011, staffed wholly by civil servants and reporting jointly to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister under joint heads Paul Kirby (Policy) and Kris Murrin (Implementation).
The current members of the Policy Unit are Paul Bate (Health and Adult Social Care), Richard Freer (Defence), Tim Luke (Business and Enterprise), Michael Lynas (Big Society) and Ben Moxham (Energy and Environment). The Unit is supported by Ivan Collister's Research and Analytics Unit.
Directed by Oliver Letwin
and Danny Alexander
's Policy Board, the Unit works closely with Conservative and Liberal Democrat political advisers Steve Hilton
, James O'Shaughnessy, Polly Mackenzie and Tim Colbourne, and the private offices of the PM and DPM. Above them, Jeremy Heywood
serves as Permanent Secretary of No.10 and Chris Wormald as Head of the Deputy Prime Minister's Office.
Previous heads include Bernard Donoughue
, Ferdinand Mount, John Redwood
, Brian Griffiths
, Sarah Hogg, Norman Blackwell, David Bennett
, David Miliband
, Andrew Adonis
, Matthew Taylor
, Geoff Mulgan
, Dan Corry
and Nick Pearce. Other notable members have included Oliver Letwin
, David Willetts
and Sir Michael Barber
.
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government. Originally set up to support Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
in 1974, it has gone through a series of guises to suit the needs of successive Prime Ministers, staffed variously by political advisers, civil servants or a combination of both.
The Coalition Government of May 2010 quickly disbanded two major parts of central infrastructure, the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit (PMDU)
Prime Minister's Delivery Unit
The Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit was established in June 2001 to monitor progress on and strengthen the British Government’s capacity to deliver its key priorities across education, health, crime and transport. The Unit reported to the Prime Minister through the Head of the Civil Service...
and Prime Minister's Strategy Unit (PMSU)
Prime Minister's Strategy Unit
The Prime Minister's Strategy Unit was an elite unit based in the UK Cabinet Office between 2002 and 2010...
, as part of the Prime Minister's agenda to reduce the number of special advisers and end micromanagement of Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
. In their place, a strengthened Policy and Implementation Unit was launched in early 2011, staffed wholly by civil servants and reporting jointly to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister under joint heads Paul Kirby (Policy) and Kris Murrin (Implementation).
The current members of the Policy Unit are Paul Bate (Health and Adult Social Care), Richard Freer (Defence), Tim Luke (Business and Enterprise), Michael Lynas (Big Society) and Ben Moxham (Energy and Environment). The Unit is supported by Ivan Collister's Research and Analytics Unit.
Directed by Oliver Letwin
Oliver Letwin
Oliver Letwin MP FRSA is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he is currently the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, and a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of West Dorset...
and Danny Alexander
Danny Alexander
Daniel Grian Alexander is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has been Chief Secretary to the Treasury since 2010. He has been the Member of Parliament for the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey constituency since 2005....
's Policy Board, the Unit works closely with Conservative and Liberal Democrat political advisers Steve Hilton
Steve Hilton
Steve Hilton is the director of strategy for David Cameron, Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom...
, James O'Shaughnessy, Polly Mackenzie and Tim Colbourne, and the private offices of the PM and DPM. Above them, Jeremy Heywood
Jeremy Heywood
Jeremy John Heywood CB, CVO is a British civil servant. He is currently Permanent Secretary at Downing Street, having previously served as the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister....
serves as Permanent Secretary of No.10 and Chris Wormald as Head of the Deputy Prime Minister's Office.
Previous heads include Bernard Donoughue
Bernard Donoughue, Baron Donoughue
Bernard Donoughue, Baron Donoughue is a British politician, businessman and author.The son of Thomas Joseph Donoughue was educated at Campbell Secondary Modern School and Northampton Grammar School, Lincoln College, Oxford, where he read History and obtained the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1957,...
, Ferdinand Mount, John Redwood
John Redwood
John Alan Redwood is a British Conservative Party politician and Member of Parliament for Wokingham. He was formerly Secretary of State for Wales in Prime Minister John Major's Cabinet and was an unsuccessful challenger for the leadership of the Conservative Party in 1995...
, Brian Griffiths
Brian Griffiths, Baron Griffiths of Fforestfach
Brian Griffiths, Baron Griffiths of Fforestfach is a British Conservative politician....
, Sarah Hogg, Norman Blackwell, David Bennett
David Bennett
David Bennett may refer to:* David Bennett , British television continuity announcer* David Bennett , Australian barrister and former Solicitor-General of Australia* David Bennett , American football coach...
, David Miliband
David Miliband
David Wright Miliband is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for South Shields since 2001, and was the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2007 to 2010. He is the elder son of the late Marxist theorist Ralph Miliband...
, Andrew Adonis
Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis
Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis is a British academic, journalist, Labour Party politician and Life Peer, who was Secretary of State for Transport between 2009-2010....
, Matthew Taylor
Matthew Taylor (Labour politician)
Matthew Taylor is Chief Executive of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in the United Kingdom.-Background:...
, Geoff Mulgan
Geoff Mulgan
Geoff Mulgan is Chief Executive of the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts and Visiting Professor at University College, London, the London School of Economics and the University of Melbourne...
, Dan Corry
Dan Corry
Dan Corry was the head of the Number 10 Policy Unit for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He was employed as a special adviser.-References:**...
and Nick Pearce. Other notable members have included Oliver Letwin
Oliver Letwin
Oliver Letwin MP FRSA is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he is currently the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, and a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of West Dorset...
, David Willetts
David Willetts
David Linsay Willetts is a British Conservative Party politician and the Minister of State for Universities and Science. He is the Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Havant in Hampshire.-Education:...
and Sir Michael Barber
Michael Barber
Michael Barber is an American musician signed to Universal Records through Hoopla Media Group. Barber is best known for inventing the Messy Music genre that mixes all types of current genres to create his own...
.
See also
- Central Policy Review StaffCentral Policy Review StaffThe Central Policy Review Staff , nicknamed the "Think-Tank", was an independent unit within the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom tasked with developing long term strategy and co-ordinating policy across government departments...
- Prime Minister's Office