36. To bring a matter before the Cabinet without the opportunity for consultation and advice which the Cabinet submission process provides, authority must be provided by the Prime Minister, the Cabinet (through a Cabinet minute) or the Cabinet Secretary (as delegated by the Prime Minister).
37. Ministers should only seek authority to bring forward a matter for their colleagues' consideration without a Cabinet submission where the matter is urgent and this urgency could not reasonably have been foreseen.
38. A Short Notice Submission supports Cabinet consideration of urgent or unforeseen and unavoidable items that cannot practically meet the longer timeframes of the full submission process.
39. The use of a Short Notice Submission is subject to approval by the Cabinet Secretary. Examples where a Short Notice Submission may be used include:
- urgent matters of a procedural rather than a policy nature
- urgent policy matters where the parameters of the decision(s) are straightforward and the risks associated with the decision(s) are low
- genuinely urgent or unforeseen and unavoidable matters
- simple items such as progress reports or supplementary considerations
- comebacks commissioned by the Expenditure Review Committee of Cabinet during the Budget process.
40. In writing to the Cabinet Secretary, ministers should specify those colleagues with a portfolio interest in the matter, identify any co‐optees and ensure that each of those ministers receives a copy of his or her request summarising the matter.
41. To support discussion, a Short Notice Submission is to be prepared in lieu of a full Cabinet Submission. The submission will include a concise summary of the matter, which has clear recommendations for the Cabinet's consideration and supporting argument, including an analysis of the associated risks.
42. If the Prime Minister or Cabinet Secretary agree to the matter being brought forward to Cabinet or a Cabinet Committee, Cabinet Division will circulate the submission upon approval of the Cabinet Secretary, for at a minimum, short coordination comments to central agencies, and other impacted agencies with the agreement of the Cabinet Secretary. The final Short Notice Submission will be provided to ministers ahead of the Cabinet meeting.
Oral updates
43. Oral updates will be accepted only with the prior approval of the Cabinet Secretary. A minister should only seek to provide an oral update at a Cabinet or Cabinet Committee meeting in cases of particular urgency or confidentiality on an issue for the Cabinet.
44. On rare occasions, the Cabinet Secretary may agree to the lodgement of a document to support an oral update item.
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