About the People's Panel

What was the People's Panel?

In 1998, the Cabinet Office Modernising Public Services Group commissioned MORI, the market research company, and Birmingham University's School of Public Policy to set up a People's Panel.

The People's Panel was made up of 5,000 members of the public. It had a profile that was representative of the UK population in terms of age, gender, region and a wide range of other demographic indicators. At the time of recruitment, data on both service usage and attitudes were collected for each Panel member and their household.

MORI recruited the Panel from a random sample of addresses across the UK between June and September 1998. Since the original 5,000 members were recruited, the Panel was also 'topped-up' with an extra 1,000 members to:

Also, an additional, 830 members were recruited from ethnic minorities to ensure that there is a large enough sample of this group that can be used for quantitative research.

Citizen's panels have been used in local government in the UK for many years so the idea is not new. But the People's Panel was a world first at national level. Central Government is increasingly using innovative consultation methods, and the People's Panel has stimulated a great deal of additional work in government.  

The idea for the Panel was largely prompted by government recognition of the need to listen to, and learn from, people's views in order to be better able to provide the services that people want.   This work is now being taken forward by the Office of Public Services Reform with government departments.

The Panel came to an end in January 2002.

Further information

If you would like further information about the People's Panel, in the first instance you should contact:

James Airey Tel: 020 7276 3567
e-mail: jairey@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk  

who managed  the Panel, at the Office of Public Services Reform, 4th Floor, 53 Parliament Street, LONDON SW1A 2NG

Visit the People's Panel web site at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/servicefirst