Message from the Prime Minister

We have made it one of our top priorities since we came to power in May 1997 to bring Government closer to the citizen: to be open about what we do, to find out what people want from Government policy and services, and to see that we respond to their wishes and needs.

We have developed new approaches to encourage responsiveness. One example is the People's Panel. Another is our recent initiative to increase consumer focus among service providers, with each department and agency appointing a consumer champion to ensure that services provide what their consumers want.

This draft code is about another aspect of responsiveness: the written consultation document. This is a classic form of consultation - although now increasingly read in electronic form rather than print - but there is much that we can do to ensure that it works more effectively. We have already issued one set of guidance about this.

We now want to strengthen it, in the light of users' comments, as set out in this draft code. We need to make it easier for people to respond, and we have to be able to show we have dealt with their views seriously and fairly.

The code also responds to the Sixth Report of Lord Neill's Committee on Standards in Public Life. They made clear that the principle of openness, and in particular the citizen's right of participation in the policy-making process, were fundamental to the proper conduct of public life. We agree wholeheartedly. And we are separately, through the Freedom of Information Bill, making another major advance in openness.

Everyone gains by effective consultation. It improves policy and services by harnessing the experience and ideas of the whole community, opening the work of government to greater innovation and creativity. It is critical to the existence of trust between the Government and the people. My Ministerial colleagues and I are determined that we should do better, through close adherence to the criteria set out in this code.

We want the code to be as effective as possible. We need your views on it.

Tony Blair