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Handling Strategies

20.1 A Parliamentary Handling Strategy (covering both Houses) must be submitted alongside the Bill when Legislation Committee considers it before introduction. The Bill team will also need to prepare a wider stakeholder/media handling strategy, though this does not need to be submitted to Legislation Committee. The nature of the strategies will depend on the length of the Bill and the level of controversy but as a general guide the Parliamentary handling strategy should:

• Set out which areas are likely to be contentious, based on an awareness of the mood of the House and the particular interests of individual MPs/Peers
• Identify those MPs/Peers likely to take a particular interest and what engagement with them is planned
• Include details of any briefings for all Members by Ministers, discussions with MPs held by officials, media work by Ministers etc
• Be drafted following advice from the Government Whips' Offices and Special Advisors
• Be agreed by Ministers

20.2 The wider stakeholder/media handling strategy should be prepared in conjunction with press offices and communications experts in departments and should:

• be based on the identification and understanding of the concerns of stakeholders, and recognising that key stakeholders will expect to be engaged early and throughout the Bill's progress
• list the key stakeholders and their contact details, their position, and how the relationship will be managed
• list the main issues which have or are likely to arise, the groups likely to raise them and why – setting out the Government's position on the issue and what action has or can be taken to resolve the issue
• set out planned actions, including details of any press launches and other media work
• consider setting up an advisory panel representing key stakeholders
• set out key messages, target audiences and means through which these can be reached
• include a core media script and press notices
• be agreed by Ministers

20.3 The Bill team should work closely with Press Office, especially on the media handling strategy, if possible via a dedicated point of contact in the Press Office.

20.4 Preparing a handling strategy will help the Bill team to crystallise its approach and prioritise resources towards those areas where poor handling would be most likely to have the greatest impact on the Bill; it will provide an assurance to Legislation Secretariat and Committee that the Bill team has thought through the issues carefully and an indication of where the greatest pressures are likely to arise.

20.5 The Parliamentary handling strategy in particular should be a living document, updated throughout the passage of the Bill and crucially always looking and planning ahead to the next Parliamentary stage and beyond. The strategy will be particularly crucial should the Government suffer defeats or should the Bill go into ping pong, when concessions may be needed to avoid defeat. Possible concessions and fallback positions, and the handling these will require, should be set out in the strategy.

20.6 Bill teams should request a copy of “Getting your Bill through the Lords” from the Government Whips' Office in the Lords, which will help in preparing the Parliamentary handling strategy.