We are pleased to announce the publication of the RPC’s new Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) guidance. This document is designed to help policy teams across Whitehall develop more rigorous M&E plans early on in the policy making process. This will in turn improve the quality and effectiveness of their regulations by ensuring they think about the intended impacts and how these will be assessed as they develop proposals.
The guidance provides clear and detailed instructions for developing robust M&E plans within Options Assessments (OAs) and Impact Assessments (IAs).
Key Highlights of the New M&E Guidance
- Importance of Early Planning: The new guidance emphasises the necessity of integrating evaluation from the outset of policy development. Drawing on principles from the Magenta Book and the Green Book, it highlights that early planning can maximise learning and minimise data collection costs. It can also help ensure that the rationale for intervention is robust.
- Data Collection: Effective data collection is at the heart of successful M&E. The guidance outlines best practices for collecting both quantitative and qualitative data, including the use of existing data sources and the planning of new data collection efforts. It stresses the importance of aligning data collection with the Theory of Change to ensure comprehensive evaluation.
- Addressing Uncertainty: The guidance also addresses the need to consider external factors that might impact the evaluation. It encourages departments to account for uncertainties and unintended consequences, ensuring that evaluations provide a realistic picture of an intervention's effectiveness.
Case Studies and Best Practices
As with other RPC guidance, the document includes various examples or ‘case histories’ that illustrate best practices in M&E planning. These examples demonstrate how different approaches and methodologies can be effectively applied to assess policy impacts. They highlight the importance of setting clear objectives, using logical frameworks, and collecting relevant data to evaluate the success of interventions.
Connection to Post-Implementation Reviews
The new M&E guidance is particularly relevant in light of recent efforts to address the backlog of Post-Implementation Reviews (PIRs) across government departments. As highlighted in our recent blog, evaluating existing regulations is crucial for ensuring they achieve their objectives and do not impose excessive costs. The new guidance will support departments in developing effective M&E plans that can inform PIRs, helping to unlock growth and reduce administrative costs.
We are committed to working with the new government to enhance the effectiveness of the Better Regulation Framework in support of their growth agenda. We welcome feedback on our work and encourage stakeholders to share their thoughts on how we can improve our processes.
For more information or to provide feedback, please comment below or email us at enquiries@rpc.gov.uk.
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