Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit
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Roles
The Prime Minister's Strategy Unit (now known simply as The Strategy Unit) provides the UK Prime Minister with in-depth strategy advice and policy analysis on key priorities. The Strategy Unit has three main roles:
- to provide strategy and policy advice to the Prime Minister/No 10
- to support government departments in developing effective strategies and policies – including helping them to build their strategic capability
- to identify and effectively disseminate emerging issues and policy challenges.
History
The Unit was set up in 2002, bringing together the Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) and the Prime Minister's Forward Strategy Unit (FSU) to:
- improve the Government's capacity to address long term and/or cross-cutting strategic issues
- promote innovation in policy development and the delivery of the Government's objectives
Outputs
The outputs of the work of the Strategy Unit can take various forms:
- confidential advice and analysis for the Prime Minister
- joint work with departments – culminating in a White Paper, Green Paper or other policy statement
- publically announced SU-led strategy reviews
The Strategy Unit works closely, and often jointly, with other government departments and external stakeholders on a broad range of domestic policy issues. The Unit puts strong emphasis on analytical rigour and an evidence based approach to developing strategy, looking at issues from first principles. While some of its work is one-off, other work on issues such as education, health and home affairs tends to be ongoing.
Strategy Unit projects and other work have covered a very broad range of issues. There is no area of domestic policy in which the SU could not (in principle) be asked to work.
Reporting Hierarchy
Due to its strong links with Number 10 Downing Street it is often erroneously referred to in the media as the No 10 Strategy Unit, however it is formally part of the Cabinet Office.
The Unit is based in the Cabinet Office but reports to the Prime Minister who takes final decisions about the Unit's work.
Stephen Aldridge is the Unit's Director.
