Memorandum submitted by Hilary Burrage
MSC, BSc (Hons) PGCE
From my perspective as an Independent Consultant
in strategic policy, I would like to suggest that the EFRA Review
include in its remit a consideration of the issues of STAKEHOLDING,
ENGAGEMENT and SOCIAL CONTEXT. These notions are in my view critical
to obtaining maximum value from the work of Defra, as an arm of
Government taking forward scientific and political understandings
as the basis of (ideally, and where possible, evidence-based)
policy.
I would also suggest that there be a focus in the
review on the connection/s between different aspects of the Defra
operation, such as Communications, Policy, Science and, more recently,
Social Enterprise; but I understand that these inter-connections
may already have been discussed elsewhere and so I will not elaborate
on this theme.
Stakeholding, Engagement and Social Context
are however terms which are widely used, but with such variation
in intended meaning that they often currently add only a little
value to discussion and effective policy development.
The most limited view of Stakeholding (etc)
is that it involves only those who are directly linked in a scientific
programme; the direct financial arrangements are the defining
limits of the exercise. This position is, when it occurs, both
a very serious constraint on the scientific insights to be gained
from research, and also quite possibly a potential loss in respect
of the value of the programme for policy development.
Politics and the art of Government can of course
only be conducted within the parameters of the possible. It follows
that a view, right at the beginning of any research or programme
development, on who ultimately has a Stakehold, Engagement or
other interest in given matters of intended action or concern,
is crucial. (The SAC Social Research document gives some illuminating
examples of where a limited initial perspective did not help Defra
to add ultimate value.)
The time when Government policy could be "done
unto" people is past (if it ever existed), and senior policy
makers are very conscious that wide ownership and publicly evident
good reasoning is critical to decisions about where to focus and
what to do. This perspective has not in my experience always as
yet been at the forefront of thinking about priorities and feasible
ways forward in Defra.
There is much very excellent scientific research
and other endeavour being conducted by Defra and its partners.
It is possible that even more value would derive in policy and
delivery terms from this excellent work, if there were a more
embedded understanding across the Department (and also between
Government Departments) of the implications in their widest senses
of Stakeholding and Engagement.
The issues which face Defra are universal; and
so as we all recognise must be the contexts in which it places
its policy development and delivery.
I would be happy to elaborate on any aspect
of this commentary which you might wish to develop further.
March 2008
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