Evidence Based Policy Making
What is Defra doing?
A number of initiatives are being taken forward across the department to further embed best practice in policy making.
• Guidance for policy makers
Defra has developed a number of guidance packages aimed at policy makers.
Click here 
(235KB) for a principle-based package drafted by Defra's Science
Strategy Team that provides guidelines on where evidence is needed in
the policy process, what type of evidence us needed at different stages,
how to assess its robustness and how it needs to be used.
Click here
(49KB) for a simple one-pager, which aims to help policy
makers to answer the question "Is this good evidence for policy?"
• Evidence and Innovation
The Science Strategy Team's Evidence and Innovation work takes a holistic look at the evidence needed to underpin the department's policy goals. The process has allowed policy makers from across the department to think about the evidence needed for policy in a structured and coordinated way, and gives Defra a framework for the way research is procured and used in policy making.
It is also helping to increase the profile of other forms of evidence in policy-making, including social science, economics, statistics and policy evaluation.
For further information visit the Evidence and Innovation homepage.
• Horizon Scanning
Horizon Scanning is the systematic examination of potential threats, opportunities and likely future developments that are at the margins of current thinking and planning. It is intended to improve the robustness of Defra's policies and evidence base.
Click here for more information on Defra's Horizon Scanning and Futures Programme.
Click here for other sources of information or click here to go to the main evidence based policy page.
Contact
For further information, please contact: research.policy@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Page
last modified: 21 September 2006
Page published: 21 September 2006