Minister's involvement with papers

Involving Ministers in policy development

All papers for Cabinet and committees must be signed by a Minister. Ministers should therefore always be kept informed in advance about prospective Cabinet papers. The contents of a proposed Cabinet paper will affect the extent to which the Minister is involved in its preparation. Many papers are initiated by Ministers. On routine administrative matters, no prior involvement may be necessary. On more complex and/or politically sensitive issues, the Minister may need to approve policy proposals in advance. He or she may wish to see early drafts of a paper or meet with officials to discuss proposals. Ministers should also have time to consider the final version of a paper and to consult with colleagues, before they sign it out to a committee. Officials preparing papers on policy issues should discuss with the Minister's office how he or she wishes to approach a particular issue.

If there are further developments after the paper has been sent to the Minister, it may be useful to provide an additional brief report to the Minister before the Cabinet or committee meeting. Other additional briefing material for the Minister can be included in a departmental report accompanying the committee paper.

There are requirements on Ministers to consult their colleagues before papers are submitted to the Cabinet Office. Departments should factor this into their timelines.

Ministerial signature of Cabinet and committee papers is arranged by the Minister's office (see below).

Getting a Minister to sign a paper

All papers to Cabinet and Cabinet committees must be signed by a Minister. If the portfolio Minister is not available to sign, another Minister may sign on the portfolio Minister's behalf, including a Minister outside Cabinet but not a Parliamentary Under-Secretary. The portfolio Minister's office must obtain their Minister's agreement to this course of action, before giving the paper to another Minister to sign. 

Associate Ministers may sign papers to Cabinet or committees within their designated area of responsibility, provided the portfolio Minister agrees with the submission of the paper. This agreement can either be mentioned in the paper or indicated on the CAB 100 consultation form.

If a Parliamentary Under-Secretary wishes to submit a proposal to Cabinet (for example, a proposal for overseas travel), it should be submitted through the Minister to whom the Parliamentary Under-Secretary is responsible.

The signature must be "real". A stamped or computer scanned signature is not normally acceptable. If you have difficulties getting a paper signed in time to meet the deadline, discuss this with the committee secretary. A faxed signature may be acceptable in such circumstances.