Committee publication · Correspondence · 9 June 2026
Letter from Dame Antonia Romeo DCB, Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service on updating the Cabinet Manual, dated 2.6.26
From: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Inquiry: The work of the Cabinet Office
Summary
Dame Antonia Romeo, Cabinet Secretary, informs the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee that the Government will update the Cabinet Manual to reflect current constitutional arrangements. The update aims to enhance transparency and accessibility of the UK's constitutional system. The Government will consult draft text with parliamentary committees in autumn 2026, targeting publication in early 2027.
Key findings
- Prime Minister has announced a Cabinet Manual update to ensure it remains an authoritative record of UK constitutional arrangements
- Update responds to previous committee recommendations and reflects Government commitment to high standards in public life
- Government will seek feedback from parliamentary committees on draft text in autumn 2026, though Parliament's formal approval is not required
- Manual update is part of wider programme including a Review into the Organisation, Performance and Transformation of the permanent Civil Service, to be led by the Cabinet Secretary
- Target publication date is early 2027; Government seeks committee support to maintain this timeline
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Dame Antonia Romeo, Prime Minister, Simon Hoare MP, Baroness Smith of Basildon, Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Cabinet Office
Notable line
“The update provides an opportunity to restate the rules and conventions of our system, in the context of the Government's commitment to high standards in public life …”
Key Quotes
“I am writing to inform you that the Prime Minister has announced today that the Government will update the Cabinet Manual, to ensure it remains an authoritative record of the UK's constitutional arrangements.”
“… this engagement is intended to provide a meaningful opportunity 1 for MPs and peers to support the drafting process. This will ensure the Manual continues to be a non-party-political record of fact.”
“The Government's ambition is to publish the second edition of the Manual in early 2027. This would mean sharing draft text with your committees in the Autumn, and I hope your committee can support us to maintain this timeline.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗