Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat (EDS)
Head of the Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat
Paul Britton
Deputies
Robin Fellgett and Tracey Waltho
Introduction
The Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat (EDS) covers all domestic Government business, including supporting the National Economic Council with HM Treasury. Our primary role is to provide a high-quality and efficient service to support Cabinet and Cabinet committee business. EDS also supports Number 10 private office, advises the Cabinet Secretary and Prime Minister on machinery of government changes and public sector pay, and deals with legislative and Parliamentary matters.
What are our key responsibilities?
EDS' responsibilities include:
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supporting the Cabinet and its committees in order to facilitate collective decisions by Ministers on economic and domestic policy;
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advising and briefing the Prime Minister on economic and domestic policy issues;
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overseeing delivery of measures to help UK through the downturn and come through it stronger;
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co-ordinating the legislative programme, relations with the devolved administrations and policy on public sector pay and pensions;
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advising the business managers on Parliamentary procedure and the Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary on machinery of government; and
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supporting Cabinet Office Ministers’ oversight of the Statistics Authority.
EDS contributes to two of the Cabinet Office's overarching aims: to support the Prime Minister in leading the government and to achieve coordination of policy and operations across government.
Our work includes:
What is EDS’s role in relation to Cabinet?
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To coordinate the forward programme for the Cabinet and the agenda for each meeting, working with No 10, the Cabinet Secretary's office and the other secretariats.
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To lead on preparation of the Prime Minister's brief for Cabinet.
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To minute Cabinet meetings (except where discussions are about foreign policy) and, with the other secretariats, follow-up decisions.
What is EDS’s role in terms of managing Cabinet Committee business?
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To work with departments to ensure that issues which require collective consideration by Ministers are considered in the appropriate forum (whether in correspondence or in discussion)
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To help departments to prepare issues for collective consideration and in developing policy options to consider
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To broker agreements between departments and build consensus
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To commission and draft papers and briefing for Cabinet and Cabinet Committees
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To organise meetings and circulate Cabinet Committee papers
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To chair meetings of official-level interdepartmental groups to help steer policy agendas
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To brief and draft advice for Cabinet Committee Chairs
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To record conclusions from Cabinet and Cabinet Committees
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To follow up actions and decisions from Cabinet Committees
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To work closely with No 10, the Delivery Unit, the Strategy Unit, the Treasury and the lead departments to support Cabinet Committees
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To manage one-off projects and reviews commissioned by No 10 or a Cabinet Committee
How does EDS assist Number 10?
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Providing administrative and policy support to the Prime Minister
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undertaking work commissioned by the Prime Minister's Private Office
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preparing briefing for Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons
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Co-ordinating the annual pay review body process;
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providing advice to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of the Cabinet, Sir Gus O'Donnell, on machinery of government changes and the structure and composition of Cabinet Committees.
What is EDS’s role in the Legislative Programme?
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drafting the Queen's Speech for the opening of Parliament
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managing the legislative programme
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providing advice to the business managers on Parliamentary procedure
What is EDS’s role in managing the National Economic Council?
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The Economic Policy Co-ordination Team in EDS is responsible for providing the secretariat to the National Economic Council (NEC) jointly with colleagues in HM Treasury. It also supports the Prime Minister in his role as Chairman of the NEC, and works with the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit to provide assurance on the delivery of actions agreed by the NEC.
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The team is cross-disciplinary, comprising members of the Government Economic Service and policy professionals drawn from the range of departments represented on the NEC.
What is EDS’s role in respect of devolution?
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To carry out Cabinet secretariat functions relating to devolution issues;
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To lead the joint secretariat of the Joint Ministerial Committee, and advise ministers on policy relating to inter-administration relations
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To work with the Ministry of Justice to increase Whitehall awareness of devolution issues
Further Information
Guidance for departments on the work of Cabinet and Cabinet Committees and managing Cabinet Committee business can be found in our Guide to Cabinet Committees.
For more information on the legislative side of EDS' work, please look on the section on the legislative programme.
For more information on the National Economic Council, please look at the section on the Economic Policy Co-ordination Group.
For more information about EDS’s devolution secretariat, please see the Devolution in the United Kingdom pages.
Contact Details
Phone: 020 7276 0055 - Secretariat Business Manager
A detailed organogram of EDS is available to other Government Departments on request.
