Designing a Parliamentary Briefing System: an OR Look at the Commons

A recent project aimed to find ways of improving the effectiveness of the House of Commons in scrutinizing government policy, and hence holding Ministers to account. The study identified some interlocking obstacles to effective scrutiny, and made a set of proposals for overcoming them, involving both the provision of information and analysis to MPs and reform of procedures. It was influenced by lessons from within OR about the effective provision and use of analysis, and this paper reflects further on what an OR perspective can offer in this area, and on developments subsequent to the original study.