Strategy for the House of Commons Service 2013-17
Our vision is that:
The House of Commons will be valued as the central institution in our democracy: effective in holding the Government to account, scrutinising legislation, and representing the diverse views of the electorate. It will be seen both in the UK and abroad as a model of good practice and innovation, and will provide value for money.
Members of Parliament will have the information, advice, support and technology they need to be effective in their work and to engage closely with their constituents.
The House Service will have the respect of Members of Parliament and of the public for our independence, integrity and professionalism, and for our commitment to making Parliament work ever more effectively. We will be seen as efficient, responsive, diverse and inclusive. We will feel proud to work here and confident that our contribution is valued.
We will be engaged on an agreed plan of work to ensure both that the Palace of Westminster is preserved for future generations and that Parliament has the accommodation it needs to operate in a modern democracy.
To achieve this vision we have four strategic goals:
1. We will make the House of Commons more effective by:
• supporting the House in implementing reforms to the way in which the Government is held to account and in strengthening the scrutiny of legislation
• supporting initiatives that develop new ways to represent the diverse views of the electorate
• influencing decisions on constitutional and procedural change, and being ready to respond to the outcomes
• learning from the experience of other Parliaments
2. We will make the House Administration more efficient by:
• cutting our costs – we will reduce the Administration resource Estimate by 17% by 2014/15 (compared to 2010/11), which will mean reviewing what we do and how we do it. For 2015/16 onwards we will ensure that the House Service continues to provide value for money, balancing adequate resourcing of the House’s key functions with continuing efficiencies in service delivery.
• becoming a greener, more sustainable Parliament, on track to meet our agreed long-term improvement targets for carbon emissions, water consumption, waste generation and recycling
• doing the work required to enable decisions to be taken on the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster, and establishing the required delivery mechanisms.
• adopting best practice in the use of Parliamentary ICT by harnessing the benefits of technological developments, including improving the digital delivery of House business papers
• speeding up administrative decision-making, simplifying our processes and maintaining effective relationships between staff, unions and management
3. We will ensure that Members, staff and the public are well-informed by:
• giving Members and their staff the support and access to the information they require to be effective in their role
• making sure that staff have the skills and capability to play their part in helping the House innovate and develop for the future, and to deliver excellent service through high quality people development and unified leadership
• giving the public the information needed to understand and appreciate the work of the House and its Members, by continuing to develop our website, education and outreach services, and opening a new Education Centre at Westminster
4. We will work at every level to earn respect for the House of Commons by:
• having an open and transparent way of doing business
• encouraging public participation in parliamentary business, including the work of select committees and the legislative process, and making the House more welcoming to the public
• having clear and accepted standards of behaviour for Members and for staff, and taking action against breaches of these standards
• engaging proactively with the media to encourage full and accurate reporting of House matters
• supporting other Parliaments, especially those in transition towards democracy