A Comparative Study on How to Develop an Evidence Based Approach to Policy-making

1. A Comparative Study on How to Develop an Evidence Based Approach to Policy-making Xiaoxuan Li Institute of Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Science

2. Outline Methods 1 Evidence-based policy making in UK 2 Policy making in China 3 Implicationsand Recommendations 4

3. Background 1.1 • March 2012, China-UK “Science and Innovation into Policymaking Seminar” • 2013, SPF Project “Low Carbon Economy – a comparative study on how to develop an evidence based approach to policy-making ” About the Project • China: Led by CASIPM, Participants: Energy Research Institute, NDRC; Reserves Assessment Centre for Mineral Resources, MLR; IPE, CAS. • UK: Science and Innovation British Embassy Beijing , Royal Society, CSaP, SPRU, Nesta, Go-Science. Research Team

4. Research Frame 1.2

5. Research Methods 1.3

7. 2.1 Understanding of EBP: the rise of EBP • Philosophy • Labor government was elected with the philosophy of ‘what matters is what works’ in 1997. Its stance was anti-ideological and pragmatic. • 1999, the central role of evidence in 21th century policy making was confirmed • What is EBP • The concept of ‘evidence based policy’ • UK government initiatives • The nature of Evidence • Sources: expert knowledge; existing domestic and international research; existing statistics; stakeholder consultation; evaluation of previous policies; new research, if appropriate; or secondary sources, including the internet and the analysis of the outcome of consultation, costing of policy options and the results of economic or statistical modelling.

8. 2.2 Understanding of EBP: External Environment Increasing emphasis on scrutiny and accountability in government Complexity of policy environment External Environment Professionalization of policy issues Increasingly awareness and capability of public information access Requirement of transparency and open government Media explosions for public views expression

9. Advocated by the central government 2.3 • Promoting of the EBP concept • March, 1993, Modernizing government, white paper, put evidence in the central role of policy making in 21 century • Organizational structure • July, 1998, the establishment of the Strategy Unit in Cabinet Office • June, 1999, the establishment of CMPS in Cabinet Office • Normative system • September, 1999, Cabinet Office, Professional Policy Making for the Twenty First Century • November, 2000, CMPS, Better Policy-Making • Institutionalized mechanism • Staff training: Government professional skills (PSG) evaluation criteria • Information sharing: Home Office established NICE& SCIE

10. UK Practice 2.4

11. The role of parliament in government supervision • Science and Technology Committee (Lords) • The Commons Select Committees • Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology • All-party Parliamentary Group Parliament

12. The role of parliament in government supervision Energy Research Partnership published Nuclear Fission Final version: Energy National Policy Statements The parliament inquiry intoDECC of the role of the government in improving the capacity of research in nuclear energy Energy Research Partnership, etc.: UK Nuclear Fission Technology Roadmap: Preliminary Report Royal Society: Fuel cycle stewardship in a nuclear renaissance Science and Technology Committee (Lords):Nuclear Research and Development Capabilities DECC responded to the inquiry, and released the reports: Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap: Future Pathways & The UK’s Nuclear Future The parliament inquiry into government’s contribution to capacity building in nuclear research

13. Self-building of government • Chief Scientific Adviser system • Supporting institutions • Go-Science (foresight / horizon scanning) • more than 100 evidence and analysis experts supporting Defra’s chief scientific adviser • Department affiliated research institutions • Guidelines and policies • Guidelines on the use of scientific and engineering advice in policy making government

14. Supporting institutions • Impact oriented evaluation: from RAEto REF • Diversified institutions: RS, RAE, ESRC, Association… • Nesta: research center of evidence alliance • Universities: Multiple Research Center • Research institutions: different roles in advice • Scientists: guidelines Research institutions Universities Associations

15. Public and media • Guidelines • Standards for Advisory Practice, providing more details for operation • Statutory procedural guarantees: Network review by the relevant committees of the Parliamentary • Build the communication platform for public, scientists and government • Sciencewise • Negotiation mechanism in the community • Independent polling organization Public and media

16. Ideology of Communist Party of China The policy concept in China 3.1 • Proceed from reality in all things, link theory with practice, seek truth from facts , test and develop the truth in practice. • Seeking truth from facts is the core element • The process of the scientificnessand democracy of decision-making since China adopted the reform and opening-up policy • 1980 , Deng Xiaoping The Party and State Leadership System Reform • 1986 , Wan Li, The democracy and scientificness of decision-making is an important topic of political reform • 2003, the State Council, the program for comprehensively implementing government administration in accordance with the law • 2006, "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" states the goal of sound decision-making mechanism in government

17. The policy environment in China 3.2 • The increasing supervising of The National People's Congress • Specific Inquiry：institutionalized, standardized and normalized • Well-informed public and increasing participation in public policy • Sunshine Act • environmental impact assessment of Large-scale project • PXproject, Nuclear waste processing station project • Increasing role of network media • Strong pressure from public and media • Platform for information sharing and spreading

18. Policy-making process: Legislation 3.3

19. 3.3 Policy-making process: Report on the work of Government

20. 3.3 • Policy-making process: Policy and regulation

21. 3.4 • Supporting institutions for policy in China: Think Tank

22. 3.4 Supporting institutions for policy in China: Science & Technology research institutions

23. Public and Media 3.5 Public Media Main participant in policy-making Information dissemination platform • Increasing awareness and capability of public information access • EIA of major projects • Policy consultation • Increasing role of network media • public opinion pressure • -seepage control project in the old Summer Palace • Platform for the public interests & information dissemination • The two-way transmission of information between the government and the public become possible • Joint-working of experts and public • -experts produce professional knowledge, public produce public opinion pressure Current Situation &Trend

24. Conclusions from the two cases 3.6

25. Conclusions from the two cases 3.6

26. Implications and recommendations 4 • Led by government • Guidelines and Policies • Organizational structure in government • Network • Robust normative systems • Science &Technology playing a full role in decision making • joint-working of GCSA & CSA • Strengthen the role of academic community in policy making through impact assessment (like in REF) • diversified supporting institutions • Institutionalized mechanism • The philosophy of decision-making in China is identical to UK’s policy concept • UK and China are facing similar challenges in globalization and low carbon development • China policy making is developing in a more scientific and democratic way, with the same aim of EBP Basic experience of UK’s EBP There are similarities between the concept of EBP in UK and the governance in China

27. Implications and recommendations 4 • Recommendations • Improving the role of the people's congresses at all levels, in the monitoring of policy implementation and policy evaluation, to promote the transparency of government work, and the demand for "evidence" in policy process. • Further enhance the awareness of science in decision-making of government through the staff training and the construction of institutionalized working mechanism, and also strengthen the self-building in the academic community, which aims to improve the quality of research provided for policy making. • Improving information sharing mechanism to protect data sharing. To promote the effective communication between policy makers and the evidence providers by broaden communication channels, build bridges, etc.

28. Implications and recommendations 4 • Recommendations • Improve the effective supporting of academic community through the impact assessment of the community and guarantee the independence, scientificity, and high quality of its research. • Establish the effective mechanism of assuring the media as a bridge between the public and the government and collecting the attitude of public, key stakeholders, and policy enforcement personnel, and other frontline staff as evidence in policy process. • In order to develop evidence-based policy making in China, emphasis should be given to methods construction and the institutionalization, standardization of activity in integrating science into policy. • Promoting the leading role of comprehensive academic and research institutions in putting science into policy, and to drive the scientific community to provide evidence positively.

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