ABSTRACT
Burch and Halliday argue (1996) that its potential for influencing policy has increased since 1974 as its size has grown and it has more actively managed the flow of business. This is questionable on three grounds. First, the Cabinet Secretariat, which remains small, should not be conflated with the Cabinet Office, whose numbers have often been inflated by other (and often temporary) functions. Second, the Secretariat channels the flow of business, but cannot determine its volume or content. Third, the Cabinet Secretariat before 1974 should not be underestimated.
