Uk Office Of The Parliamentary Counsel

Jessica de Mounteney Appointed First Parliamentary Counsel

Jessica de Mounteney has been appointed as the new First Parliamentary Counsel and Permanent Secretary of the Government in Parliament Group at the Cabinet Office, effective end of April 2024. She succeeds Dame Elizabeth Gardiner, who is departing after over 32 years of dedicated service. The appointment was made by the Prime Minister upon the recommendation of the Leader of the House of Lords. This is a routine administrative appointment to a senior civil service position within the UK's legislative drafting function.

Common Legislative Solutions: Guide to Tackling Recurring Policy Issues in Legislation

The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel has published updated guidance titled 'Common Legislative Solutions' to help government officials address recurring policy issues through commonly adopted legislative approaches. The guidance, produced with input from UK legislative drafting offices, identifies common policy problems and analyses possible legislative solutions. The document was last updated on 23 December 2025 with a new version of the guide.

Legislative Drafting: A Fictional Example

The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel published a fictional example illustrating its legislative drafting practice. The document shows how drafters translate government policy into legal language and subject policy to rigorous analysis to ensure provisions achieve their aims coherently. The example includes drafting instructions, an initial clause attempt, and a covering note demonstrating the iterative process between drafter and department.