Briefing the Prime Minister - Cabinet Secretary's checklist
12th May 2010In September 1974, a briefing paper was prepared for the Cabinet Secretary to go over with the Prime Minister on the first day.
This document is a useful checklist of the primary constitutional and operational requirements that face an incoming PM.
The original form of the paper allowed for three contingencies: a Labour Government, a Conservative Government, or a coalition.
The Cabinet Secretary's checklist
- 'Discover' the PM's intentions regarding Cabinet and Administration size
- Confirm the PM's approval of security vetting for parliamentary private secretaries and remind the PM to 'bear in mind the desirability of satisfying himself that there is no character defect or other circumstance' that would endanger security
- Settle the order of precedence of ministers in the new Administration, and the Cabinet seating plan
- Arrange for the immediate appointment of committees for the Queen's speech and future legislation
- Settle changes to, or establish, the Cabinet Committee structure and confirm meeting times
- Confirm any changes to Questions of Procedure for Ministers (now The Ministerial Code) and issue under a new cover
- Submit a briefing to the PM including business requiring immediate attention [which then included note on anti-terrorism and the future of the nuclear deterrent]
- Confirm PM 'is content with procedures for approving certain intelligence operations and with the arrangements for industrial intelligence'.
- Write to new ministers welcoming them and drawing their attentions to Ministerial procedure or travel rules, and a copy of the Official Secrets Acts for them to sign
- Obtain assurance about the return of documents by outgoing ministers or that they are taken over by the incoming Minister
- Brief PM on nuclear release procedures and 'last resort', and appoint two nuclear deputies
The final bullet point is one of the most interesting. 'Last resort' refers to the letters a PM writes to the commanders of the four UK Trident submarines. It explains the action they should take if the UK suffers a catastrophic nuclear attack and they lose all contact.
It is very much preparing for a worst case scenario, but is a grave reminder to every new Prime Minister of the duty that now falls to him.
More information
- The note appears on p.35 of the IfG's report Transitions - Preparing for changes of government (PDF, 5.6MB) . The report looked at the experience of transitions since the 1960s to draw lessons for future changes of government.
- The document is available from the National Archives, CAB164/1305, C.J.S. Brearley to Sir John Hunt, Action to be taken following the holding of a general election, 25 September 1974
