WIREDGOV

As part of its inquiry into Spending Review 2020, the Treasury Committee recently (11 December 2020) issued a call for evidence on changes to HM Treasury’s Green Book.

• Treasury Committee

The Green Book ‘is guidance issued by HM Treasury on how to appraise policies, programmes and projects. It also provides guidance on the design and use of monitoring and evaluation before, during and after implementation.’

The Committee will examine the Government’s recently published  Green Book Review 2020: Findings and response and the new Green Book (2020).

The Committee would welcome evidence on how the review was performed, changes to the Green Book, and the expected impacts of the reforms.

Chair's comments 

Commenting on the call for evidence, Rt Hon. Mel Stride MP, Chair of the Treasury Committee, recently said:

“The Green Book is meant to be the definitive guidance on how to appraise government policies, programmes and projects

“It must therefore be as effective as possible.

“We’ve issued a call for evidence today to hear how successful recent reforms to the Green Book are likely to be, and whether they will have the desired impact on the Government’s levelling-up agenda.”

Terms of Reference

As part of its work examining announcements made at the time of the Spending Review 2020, the Treasury Committee would welcome written evidence on the Government’s recently published Green Book Review 2020: Findings and response and the new Green Book (2020).  

The Green Book, and the appraisal processes it provides guidance for, have an important role in areas such as public spending and taxation.  

The Treasury Committee would welcome written evidence on the findings of the Green Book Review, and the Government’s response. 

This is a general call for evidence on the Green Book reforms, and while those responding should feel free to comment on any aspect of the reforms, the Committee would in particular welcome evidence on the following topics: 

1. How the review was performed
2. The changes to the Green Book
3. The changes to the processes which the Green Book helps inform
4. The analytical challenges raised by the new processes and guidance
5. The training required to better embed the principles set out in the Green Book and ensure that they are followed
6. What impact the reforms may be expected to have, any potential problems, and how the success or failure of these reforms should be measured
7. The guidance on environmental impacts and appraising policy to meet net zero
8. The reforms’ impact on the Government’s levelling-up agenda

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees