From its creation in 1997 to its merger with the Foreign Office in 2020, the Department for International Development (DfID) managed nearly £200 billion in total and played a global leadership role in reducing poverty. While DfID also had to deal with high-profile failures and public criticism, sustained political support from Labour, coalition and Conservative governments helped the department to achieve a record of delivery during its 23-year existence. A new book, The Rise and Fall of the Department for International Development, will be published in October. Sir Mark Lowcock, the book's co-author with Ranil Dissanayake, joined an expert panel at the Institute for Government to discuss what we can learn from DfID's history, with a particular focus on building the institution, how to maintain civil service capability, targeting resources and developing ways to measure value for money – with essential lessons for the new Labour government and what other departments can learn from DfID's focus on delivery. Joining Sir Mark Lowcock on the panel were: - Sarah Champion MP, Chair of the International Development Select Committee - Andrew Mitchell MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary and former Secretary of State for International Development The panel was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Productivity in public services has never been more important. Most services are struggling to return to pre-pandemic performance levels, and the new Labour government have indicated that spending will remain tight. Improvements in performance will likely come from frontline workers finding new, innovative ways of delivering services. So what can be done to improve productivity? By highlighting outstanding examples of innovation across public services, Productivity Pitches, a series of events hosted by the IfG, aims to share and support ways to improve performance levels. This event was the fourth in the series and focused on local government. Each speaker had 10 minutes to present their innovation, followed by 10 minutes of audience questions. The chair and a guest from the Productivity Institute – who are kindly supporting this event series – then brought together the common themes from the pitches and discussed the lessons for improving productivity. The speakers for this edition of Productivity Pitches were: Gill Wilson and Tim Pearse, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, on joining up previously disparate datasets across the local authority to better understand the needs of their residents and forecast demand for their services. This allows them to support residents at an earlier stage and making the best use of scarce council resources. Vicky Schofield and Cheryl Whitehouse, Wakefield Council children's services, on the council providing residential care and improving outcomes for care leavers. With the cost of commissioning children’s residential care with private providers increasing rapidly, Wakefield decided to operate and run its own children’s homes, with more stable staffing and fewer restrictions than traditional children’s homes. As a result, the cost of providing care has dropped dramatically and children have far better outcomes. Cllr Bridget Smith, South Cambridgeshire Council, on the outcomes of shifting to a four-day working week. The Covid-19 pandemic led to the council changing the way that it worked, making better use of technology, flexible and home working. As a result, council employees now complete 100% of their work in 80% of the time. An independent evaluation of the reforms found that the council was performing better on 22 of 24 metrics, including a large drop in turnover and reduced use of expensive agency staff. The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Andy Westwood, Professor of Public Policy, Government and Business at The University of Manchester joined the discussion of common themes. Follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @IfGEvents or on Bluesky @instituteforgov.bsky.social, and join the conversation using #ProductivityPitches Productivity Pitches is kindly supported by The Productivity Institute.

The government has promised to restore the target to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030. The zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate also requires that 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain will have to be zero emission by 2030. However, car makers have expressed concerns about their ability to hit these targets without further support, and the sale of electric vehicles (EVs) is lagging behind the government target. So what are the barriers to EV uptake? Charging infrastructure is one reason consumers hesitate to make the switch, with a lack of on-street charging, bottlenecks with motorway charging, as well as concerns about price differential and different rates of VAT for on- and off-street parking. More also needs to be done to ensure the electricity network can cope with demand, and that charge points can be easily and cheaply connected to the grid. So what could be done to accelerate the rollout of EV charging infrastructure? How does the new government plan to address these challenges? And where in the country are these problems most acute? To discuss these questions and more, our panel included: Lilian Greenwood MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Future of Roads) Rosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for Government Ian Howells, Executive Vice President of Honda Motor Europe Bharat Pathania, Head of New Technologies at Midlands Connect This event was chaired by Nehal Davison, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Labour’s first 100 days in power have been marked by reports of conflict, dysfunction and delay at the centre of government. Sue Gray’s short tenure as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff has come to an end, with the prime minister choosing to reset his No.10 team just months after Labour won the general election. What reforms are needed to radically improve the centre of UK government? What does Morgan McSweeney – Starmer’s new chief of staff – need to do to make No.10 work for the prime minister and deliver for the country? What lessons should Starmer take from the way former PMs ran their centres of government – and from those who tried to reset their No.10? To answer these questions and more were: Tom Baldwin, author of Keir Starmer: The Biography and Labour’s Director of Communications (2010–15) Theo Bertram, Director of the Social Market Foundation and a former Special Adviser in No.10 Henry Newman, former Special Adviser at the Cabinet Office and in No.10 Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government and Chair of the Commission on the Centre of Government The panel was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

Reports of dysfunction and unhappiness at the centre of government have led to Sue Gray’s departure as the prime minister’s chief of staff. In an effort to reset his top team, Keir Starmer has replaced Gray with Morgan McSweeney, and has also made a number of other key appointments to his No.10 operation. So what does this restructuring tell us about how Starmer wants to run his centre of government? What lessons should be taken from the difficulties – and disagreements – at the centre that have hindered Labour’s first 100 days in power? And what else needs to change to ensure No.10, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury deliver for the prime minister? The IfG’s final report of the Commission on the Centre of Government examined why the centre has failed successive prime ministers – and the early experiences of Keir Starmer’s administration have underlined, yet again, the urgent need to implement the Centre Commission’s seven recommendations for radical reform to create strengthened, united political leadership at the heart of government. This webinar explored Gray’s exit, assess Starmer’s reset, and discuss the IfG’s recommendations for reform. Our expert panel included: Sam Freedman, Author of Failed State and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Kate Bell, Assistant General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress Alwin Magimay, Global Head of AI at PA Consulting Gaia Marcus, Director of the Ada Lovelace Institute Gordon McKee MP, Member of Parliament for Glasgow South This event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with PA Consulting.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Katy Balls, Deputy Political Editor at The Spectator Daniel Bruce, Chief Executive of Transparency International UK Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Joe Powell MP, Chair of APPG on Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax and Member of Parliament for Kensington and Bayswater This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Transparency International UK.

This event was held at the Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham. Speakers: Andrew Griffith MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Professor Nigel Brandon OBE, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Professor of Sustainable Development in Energy at Imperial College London Rain Newton-Smith, Chief Executive of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Imperial College London.

This event was held at the Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham. Speakers: Councillor Anne Handley, Leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at The University of Manchester Councillor Tim Oliver OBE, Leader of Surrey County Council and Chairman of the County Councils Network Laura Shoaf, Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Policy@Manchester.

This event was held at the Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham. Speakers: Steve Brine, former Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee Polly Curtis, Chief Executive of Demos Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Sam Rowlands MS, Welsh Shadow Minister for Health This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.

This event was held at the Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham. Speakers: Baroness Neville-Rolfe, former Cabinet Office and Treasury minister Dan Butler, Head of Government Affairs at Google Cloud UK Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Professor Mark Thompson, Professor of Digital Economy at the University of Exeter This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Google Cloud UK and the University of Exeter.

This event was held at the Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham. Speakers: Rt Hon Damian Green, former First Secretary of State and Minister for the Cabinet Office Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Joe Twyman, Co-Founder and Director of Deltapoll Henry Newman, former Special Adviser at No10 and the Cabinet Office This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

This event was held at the Conservative Party Conference 2024 in Birmingham. Speakers: Rt Hon John Glen MP, Shadow Paymaster General The Lord Norton of Louth, Conservative Peer and Professor of Government at the University of Hull Kartina Tahir Thomson, President of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

This event was held at the 2024 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham. Speakers: Rt Hon Claire Coutinho MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Sam Hall, Director of the Conservative Environment Network Rosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for Government Professor Karl Whittle, Professor of Zero Carbon and Nuclear Energy at the University of Liverpool This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with The Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place, University of Liverpool.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Mete Coban MBE, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy at Greater London Authority Clem Cowton, Director of External Affairs at Octopus Energy Ed Cox, Executive Director for Strategy, Economy & Net Zero at West Midlands Combined Authority Rosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for Government Professor Karl Whittle, Professor of Zero Carbon and Nuclear Energy at the University of Liverpool This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with The Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place, University of Liverpool.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Josh Simons MP, Member of Parliament for Makerfield and former Director of Labour Together Clare Moriarty, former Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Kartina Tahir Thomson, President of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Jim McMahon MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) Kim McGuinness, Mayor of the North East Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at The University of Manchester Jen Williams, Northern England Correspondent at the Financial Times This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Policy@Manchester.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Georgia Gould MP, Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office) Dan Butler, Head of Government Affairs at Google Cloud UK Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Professor Mark Thompson, Professor of Digital Economy at the University of Exeter This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Google Cloud UK and the University of Exeter.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Andrew Gwynne MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care) Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Dr Jennifer Dixon DBE, Chief Executive of The Health Foundation Paul Kissack, Group Chief Executive of Joseph Rowntree Foundation This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with The Health Foundation.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Lord Patrick Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation Peter Foster, Public Policy Editor at the Financial Times Professor Mary Ryan, Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) at Imperial College London Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Imperial College London.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Treasury Select Committee Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Tom Sasse, Britain Public Policy Editor at The Economist Moira Wallace, former Permanent Secretary This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with the Association for Project Management.

This event was held at the 2024 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Speakers: Rt Hon Darren Jones MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research and the REAL Centre (Research and Economic Analysis for the Long term) at the Health Foundation Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Phillip Woolley, Partner at Grant Thornton UK LLP This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was in partnership with Grant Thornton UK LLP.

With Labour seeking to reassert its credentials around upholding public standards - and avoid standards issues distracting from its wider agenda for government – a significant reset is required. This event explored how key reforms such as the creation of the long-promised Ethics and Integrity Commission and establishment of the Modernisation Committee will work and what else needs to be done to restore trust in politics. Speakers: Rt Hon Lucy Powell MP, Leader of the House of Commons Stephen Bush, Associate Editor and Columnist at the Financial Times Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Duncan Hames, Director of Policy and Programmes at Transparency International UK Dr Susan Hawley, Executive Director of Spotlight on Corruption This event will be chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government. This event is in partnership with Spotlight on Corruption, Transparency International UK, and the UK Anti-Corruption Coalition.

The UK’s productivity record since the financial crisis has been dismal. In the long term, the country cannot become more prosperous and afford the public services it needs without reversing this trend. The new Labour government has committed to boosting growth as one of its five missions for government and set out its intention to put industrial strategy at the heart of its policy making. But how can industrial strategy help to restore productivity growth? This event explored the relationship between growth and industrial strategy.

Britain’s housing market is unfair. House prices are over eight times average earnings. Social housebuilding rates have sharply declined, and homelessness is high. How can the Liberal Democrats ensure the government delivers the sustainable and affordable housing Britain needs? Speakers: Lee Dillon MP, Member of Parliament for Newbury Max Wilkinson MP, Member of Parliament for Cheltenham Anna Clarke, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at The Housing Forum Sophie Metcalfe, Researcher at the Institute for Government Tristan Robinson, Director of External Affairs and Social Value at Thakeham This event was chaired by Nehal Davison, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Civil servants are already using AI for a variety of purposes, from summarising and analysing data to drafting correspondence. The new Labour government sees AI as a route to greater productivity and growth, both within government and beyond. Bringing together the themes of two private roundtables hosted by the Institute for Government in partnership with Scott Logic, this public event explored the use of AI in policy and communications, and for civil service effectiveness. How are public servants making use of AI in their work? How should government’s own use of AI inform its broader approach to AI’s development and regulation? And how can government distinguish between panic, hype and useful applications of AI and other emerging technologies? To discuss these questions and more, this event brought together an expert panel featuring: Duncan Brown, Head of Software Engineering at the Incubator for AI Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Jess McEvoy, Principal Consultant at Scott Logic Jeni Tennison, Founder and Executive Director of Connected by DataThe event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The biggest challenges UK government faces, from tackling low economic growth to addressing regional inequalities, adapting to climate change and transforming public service performance, will need to be addressed by harnessing the insight and expertise of people from outside government itself. So what can be done to bring more external expertise into the heart of government? This event explored a core conclusion of the IfG Commission on the Centre of Government – that external voices need to be more embedded in decision making in No.10, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury. The Commission's final report concluded that successive governments had failed to do enough to systemically recruit talented people from outside government and use their skills and insight. On Tuesday 10 September, we reflected on the Commission’s recommendations and discuss how to improve decision making by amplifying expert voices from outside government. The panel were: Baroness Diana Barran, former Minister for Civil Society Sir Ian Cheshire, Chair of Channel 4 and former government lead non-executive director Neil Heslop, Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation Dame Helen Stephenson, former Chief Executive of the Charity Commission for England and Wales The panel was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

The government’s approach to procurement is entering a new era. Significant reforms to the UK's post-Brexit procurement legislation, set out in the Procurement Act, will redefine how public sector organisations acquire goods, services, and human resources as new rules and opportunities emerge. So with almost £400bn a year spent on public procurement, how ready are public bodies and suppliers for the Procurement Act’s profound implications? Drawing on IfG's extensive research and analysis on government procurement and outsourcing, this event convened a panel of experts to explore the following key questions: What are the main changes that will be implemented under the new Procurement Act? How prepared are public bodies and suppliers for these changes? What impact will the changes have on procurement practice? What are the key risks and opportunities for public bodies and suppliers? We were joined by an expert panel, including: Lindsay Maguire, Deputy Director for Procurement Reform Implementation at the Cabinet Office Andy Milner, Chief Executive Officer of Amey Peter Schofield, Head of Integrated Commissioning and Procurement at Manchester City Council Laura Wisdom, Partner at Burges Salmon The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. The event is a follow-up to a previous briefing on the Procurement Bill in 2022.

Keir Starmer has appointed more than 100 ministers to his government since Labour won the general election on 4 July. Some were ministers in the last Labour government; for many this was their first time in ministerial office. So, who makes up this latest generation of government ministers? And who held office before them? The Institute for Government’s brand new Ministers Database holds information about all government ministers since 1979 – who served as a minister, in what role, and for how long. On Thursday 5 September the IfG launched the database for public use, so that everyone can benefit from this unrivalled source of information and use it in their work. So what can we learn from the IfG’s Ministers Database? Which ministerial roles have seen the most churn? How has turnover among ministers changed over time, and what does it mean for government? And how can academics, journalists and others use the IfG Ministers Database in their work? To explore these questions and more, we were joined on this webinar by an expert panel, including: Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Philip Nye, Senior Data Scientist at the Institute for Government Dr Jessica Smith, Lecturer in Politics with Quantitative Methods at the University of Edinburgh The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Release date: 5 September 2024

Spending reviews, which decide how at least half a trillion pounds of annual public spending should be allocated across different public services, are one of the most consequential processes in government. The new government has announced a new review, to conclude in Spring 2025, that will determine departmental budgets for much of the current parliament. But how should ministers choose how to prioritise for spending? Should more money be spent on roads, skills, or police? What is the best way to judge the costs and benefits of each decision? A new report from the London School of Economics, Value for Money calls for a radical change in policy making. It argues that policies should be judged using a cost-benefit analysis which includes a comprehensive valuation of their effects on wellbeing. The report argues that, judged this way, therapies for mental health and guaranteed apprenticeships give much better value for money than most new roads. To discuss this topic, we were joined by a panel, including: Professor Lord Richard Layard, Co-Director of the Community Wellbeing Programme at the Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics and co-author of Value for Money Lord Gus O’Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary Amanda Rowlatt, former Chief Economist at the Department for Transport, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and Department for Work and Pensions Conrad Smewing, Director General of Public Spending in His Majesty's Treasury and Joint-Head of the Government Finance Function The panel was chaired by Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

The chancellor has set out her audit of public spending to MPs. Revealing what she calls a multi-billion pound “black hole” in the government finances, Rachel Reeves has vowed “to fix the mess we inherited” from the Conservative government. So do these sums add up and what do they mean for public services? Should this inheritance come as a surprise to Labour and what does it mean for the party’s manifesto pledges? And what is Rachel Reeves’ plan – which could involve tax rises or spending cuts – for dealing with the problem? To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Olly Bartrum, Senior Economist at the Institute for Government Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government The webinar was chaired by Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

A daunting public services to-do list awaits Keir Starmer and his newly-elected Labour government. Most services are performing worse than on the eve of the pandemic and substantially worse than in 2010, but future funding is set to be tight. Ministers will need to make best use of existing budgets and carefully choose targets for any additional investment. So what are the most pressing public services issues facing the new government? What will happen to service performance if Labour sticks to existing spending plans? How can services be improved without substantial spending increases? And where should any extra funding be prioritised? To discuss these questions, and a new Institute for Government and Nuffield Foundation report on the topic, this event brought together an expert panel featuring: Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Sam Freedman, Author of Failed State: Why Nothing Works and How We Fix It Patricia Hewitt, Chair of Norfolk & Waveney NHS and former Secretary of State for Health The event was chaired by Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

The King’s Speech on 17 July set out Sir Keir Starmer’s legislative agenda for government and revealed his priorities for the parliamentary session. While Labour’s attention and resources have been focused on the general election campaign, Starmer and his team will also have been preparing for this major constitutional moment. Legislation to nationalise the railways, reform planning, and establish Great British Energy are all expected, but could the government spring some surprises? Will there be any Conservative policies – such as the smoking ban – that Labour might resurrect? Following the State Opening of Parliament, this IfG webinar – with guest Chris White, who for half a decade was responsible for managing and planning the last government’s legislative programme – explored what the King’s Speech reveals about Keir Starmer’s plans for government. What are the most controversial bills? Where might Labour face opposition in parliament? And what lessons should Starmer take from the legislative programmes of previous administrations? To discuss these questions and more, we will be joined by an expert panel, including: Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Chris White, former special adviser in both the Leader of the Commons and Government Chief Whips’ offices between 2009 and 2015 The webinar was chaired by Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

Since 2010 the UK’s capital spending on prisons, hospitals and schools has been consistently lower than many other countries – leading to crumbling buildings, creaking IT and a lack of equipment. But the size of the budgets is only part of the problem – these budgets have also been badly spent. This will continue to hamper public service performance unless the new government takes a new approach to capital spending. So what could it do differently to achieve better outcomes? How can ministers, select committees, the Treasury, and other central government departments rethink their approach? And what steps could be taken in the next multi-year spending review? The event began with a short presentation from Thomas Pope, outlining the main findings of a recent IfG and Grant Thornton report on this topic, Capital spending in public services: Fixing how the government invests in the NHS, schools and prisons. To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Wayne Butcher, Director at Grant Thornton UK Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research at the Health Foundation Sir Jon Coles, Group Chief Executive of United Learning and former Director General for Schools at the Department for Education Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. The panel was chaired by Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Grant Thornton UK for kindly supporting this event.

A general election brings the appointment of a whole host of new ministers, and on day one in government they begin a job like no other. Former shadow ministers may be familiar with their new policy portfolio, but ministerial life is very different to opposition. The switch from leading a small team to heading up departments with hundreds or thousands of civil servants, and from issuing press releases to making life-changing policy decisions, happens overnight. But ministers too often overlook how they can move beyond ‘on the job’ learning and get the most out of their ministerial careers. So how can ministers get the support they need to succeed in government? What benefits are there in investing in professional development? What skills do ministers and other executives need to be effective leaders? And what support is available to ministers seeking to develop their skills in government? To explore these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Rt Hon Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top, former Chief Whip Dr Paul Chapman, Senior Fellow at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford Rt Hon Chloe Smith, former Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Ruth Turner, Senior Director at the Forward Institute and former Director of Government Relations in the Prime Minister’s Office The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Keir Starmer used his first speech as prime minister to declare that the “work of change begins immediately”. But how will the Labour government approach the complex policy challenges that it has inherited? And how will it start making progress on new promises? From freeing up space in crowded prisons to turning around struggling public services, delivering clean energy and kickstarting economic growth, the government’s to-do list is daunting. Labour has promised to “change how Britain is governed” in order to deliver its aims in government – but how will this work in practice? What does Labour’s ‘mission-led’ approach mean for the way government operates? How will central government work with locally elected mayors? And what do Keir Starmer’s cabinet appointments – and the way he has structured his centre of government – tell us about how his plan for government will work? This Institute for Government webinar will look at what Keir Starmer’s first week as prime minister tells us about how he intends to govern Britain. To explore these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government Joe Owen, Director of Impact at the Institute for Government Jen Williams, Northern England correspondent at the Financial Times The event was chaired by Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

Follow our live-blog for all our general election coverage: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/live-blog/general-election-2024 We hosted a special livestreamed recording of the Institute for Government podcast, as a team of IfG experts – bleary eyed but full of coffee – gathered in the podcast studio to make sense of a momentous night in British politics. What does the general election result mean for how the UK will be governed? What decisions and duties await the prime minister over the next days and weeks? How are governments formed and what does it mean civil servants? And what are the big challenges facing the government – and how can it meet them? Hannah White, Giles Wilkes, Tim Durrant and Catherine Haddon share their instant reaction, expert analysis, and essential insights.

This Friday will be day one in government for the winner of the general election. But there will be no chance for anyone to catch their breath after a gruelling campaign. The job begins at once. So what should civil servants be braced to expect as ministers are appointed to their new roles? How can special advisers best prepare for that frenetic first 24 hours? And what actually awaits a prime minister as they step through that famous No10 door? This IfG webinar will take you behind the scenes of the first day in government after a general election – and reveals what civil servants, officials and ministers can expect to happen next. Read our explainer on the first 72 hours of a new prime minister here: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/new-prime-minister-first-72-hours-general-election

Episode 6 explores the first days, weeks and months of a new government. We speak to those who've entered No.10 alongside the prime minister on day one, found themselves suddenly running a government department, or have welcomed a brand new political team into office as a senior civil servant, including: Ed Balls, Jonathan Powell, Gus O'Donnell, Harriet Harman, Polly Mackenzie and Nick Macpherson. What actually happens on a prime minister’s first day? How can a new government make the most of the first months in office? And what’s it like for civil servants, adjusting to having a whole new team of politicians in charge?

Episode 5 explores the role that manifestos play in – and after – an election campaign. How do political parties write their manifestos? What does a good manifesto look like? What are the questions that Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will be considering when signing off on their manifestos for the 2024 general election? And how hard is it to deliver manifesto promises once a government is formed? Packed with insight and revelations from key figures behind past manifestos – including Oliver Letwin, Jonathan Powell and Polly Mackenzie – and former civil servants who were asked to turn manifesto pledges into workable policy, this episode of Preparing for Power reveals the inside story of this key part of a general election campaign.

Episode 4 explores how the governing party prepares for an election while continuing to govern, with ministers, civil servants and special advisers – including Oliver Letwin, Harriet Harman, Gus O'Donnell, Polly Mackenzie and Nick Macpherson – revealing how they approached the work of government during an election campaign. How does a governing party balance a gruelling campaign alongside running the country? What are the advantages of being the party in power as the election approaches? And how can a governing party make the most of those final months before polling day? Veterans of the 2010 and 2015 elections share their stories.

Episode 3 explores how opposition parties prepare for a potential transition of government, with ministers, civil servants and advisers, including Jonathan Powell, Harriet Harman, Gus O’Donnell and Oliver Letwin, revealing how they got ready for the possibility of a change of government. How does an opposition develop policies that would actually work once they are in office? How can shadow teams ready themselves for taking over departments? What is the role of the chief of staff in these preparations? And what lessons could the approaches of Tony Blair and David Cameron provide for opposition parties preparing for the possibility of being in government? Veterans of the 1997 and 2010 transitions share their recollections – and their advice for Keir Starmer’s Labour party as a general election approaches.

Episode 2 explores how the civil service prepares for a potential transition of government, with five former permanent secretaries revealing how they readied themselves and their departments for a potential change in their political bosses. How does Whitehall prepare for a change in the party in power? What can civil servants do to get ready for a hung parliament? And how do they continue to serve the current government while these preparations are going on? In this episode of Preparing for Power, we speak to former senior civil servants to discover how they prepared for that all important election result and its aftermath, hear their secrets, and work out the lessons for 2024.

Whoever forms the next government will need to be prepared. The job begins almost as soon as the votes have been counted. So what is it like to go from opposition to government overnight? How do civil servants get ready for the possibility of a transition of power or a hung parliament? And what is it like for a governing party to continue in power after a bruising campaign? In this six-part series, the Institute for Government takes you behind the scenes to find out how our politicians, their advisers and officials block out the noise of a general election campaign to get ready for being in government. We’ll be speaking to former ministers, special advisers and senior civil servants to discover how they prepared for that all important election result and its aftermath, to hear their secrets, and to work out the lessons for 2024.

The Conservatives have been warning voters of the 'dangers' of Labour winning a huge – or 'super' – majority at the general election on Thursday. But what exactly is a supermajority, and do these warnings add up? With just under a week to go until polling day, this Institute for Government webinar explores the Conservatives' claims – and set out what a government with a large majority would mean for parliament and British politics. Does it really make a difference if the government has a majority of 100 or more? How hard is it to be a small opposition party? And what is most important in enabling parliament to scrutinise government properly and hold it to account?

Despite historically large tax increases since 2019, the current government’s plans imply debt continuing to rise for several years and only barely beginning to fall in five years’ time – and then only on the basis of implausible plans for public spending and rises in fuel duty that no government since 2011 has managed to implement. Drawing on Ipsos polling, this Institute for Government event discussed: What are the problems that will face a new government? How would the public like the next government to address these issues? How can the next government make progress on delivering its ambitions while maintaining fiscal sustainability?

Public services are a key election battleground. The NHS is consistently cited in surveys as one of the top two issues facing the country, while social care and schools have played a critical role in deciding recent elections. Rishi Sunak made improving NHS performance one of his key pledges, Keir Starmer included healthcare and schools in his six “first steps”, and both the Conservatives and Labour will use their manifestos to set out their public services policies. So just how well are public services performing across the country – and what impact could they have on the election campaign? In this expert briefing, the Institute for Government and Ipsos UK presented analysis of how public service performance and public satisfaction have changed over this parliament. What are the key public services challenges facing an incoming government? How much variation is there in public service performance across the country? And how does public satisfaction with services differ by constituency? To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Zoë Grünewald, Westminster Editor of the Lead UK and a freelance political journalist and broadcaster Gideon Skinner, Head of Politics, Public Affairs at Ipsos UK Phillip Woolley, Partner at Grant Thornton The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government.

Manifesto launches are a significant moment in any general election campaign, and Thursday’s publication of Labour’s manifesto is a big chance for Keir Starmer to set out how his party would govern if it wins the general election on 4 July. So how plausible are the manifesto’s plans? What are the big dividing lines with the Conservatives? How would a Labour government pay for public services? And what does the manifesto tell us about the priorities of a Labour government after 14 years in opposition? In this General Election 2024 webinar, the Institute for Government gives an expert briefing on what is in the Labour manifesto – and what it would mean for government. Panellists included: Sam Freedman, author of Failed State Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government (chair) For further IfG insight and analysis on the Labour manifesto, read our comment piece, 'Ten things we learned from the Labour manifesto': https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/general-election-2024-labour-manifesto

Manifesto launches are a significant moment in any general election campaign, and Tuesday’s publication of the Conservative manifesto is a big opportunity for Rishi Sunak’s party to set out its vision for government if it wins the general election on 4 July. So what are the flagship policies? Do the tax and spending numbers add up? How plausible and credible are the manifesto’s plans? And, after 14 years of power, how much of a break is this manifesto from previous Conservative policies and priorities? In this general election 2024 webinar, the Institute for Government gives you an essential expert briefing on what is in the Conservative manifesto – and what it would mean for government. Panellists included: Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government (chair) For further IfG insight and analysis on the Conservative manifesto, read our comment piece, 'Seven things we learned from the Conservative manifesto': https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/general-election-2024-conservative-manifesto

With attention focused on politicians, and politicians focused on winning votes, a general election campaign is an unusual time for civil servants. Their top priority remains serving the government of the day, but they must also prepare for a potential transition of power, and be ready to work with whoever forms the next government. Civil service activity is also restricted during the formal ‘pre-election period’, with civil service impartiality protected by government guidance and measures to stop public funds being used for campaigning purposes. So how should civil servants navigate this period of heightened political sensitivity? How does the work of the civil service change in the campaign? And what can civil servants do to prepare for a potential transition of power? Ahead of the general election on 4 July, this IfG webinar explored all these questions and more, and asked what lessons can be learned from previous election campaigns and past transitions of power. To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by: Sir David Bell KCB DL, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sunderland and former Permanent Secretary Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government and former senior civil servant The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow, Institute for Government.

So what can be done to improve productivity? By highlighting outstanding examples of innovation across public services, Productivity Pitches, a new series of events hosted by the IfG, aims to share and support ways to improve performance levels. This event was the third in the series and focussed on health and social care. Each speaker had 10 minutes to present their innovation, followed by 10 minutes of audience questions. The chair and a guest from The Productivity Institute – who are kindly supporting this event series – then brought together the common themes from the pitches and discussed the lessons for improving productivity.

Preventative public services are designed to deal with problems before they develop, or before they become more complicated to manage. Evidence suggests that children in particular benefit from investment whether that’s in the early years, or earlier in their life cycle, helping to prevent problems from determining their outcomes later in life. The Labour Party has put prevention at the centre of its plans for public services, promising a ‘prevention first revolution’. And the government has identified increased prevention as a key contributor towards improved public sector productivity. However, high demand for acute services means governments have often found it difficult to invest in prevention. So what can be done to bring about a change of approach? This event brought together a panel of experts to discuss: What are preventative services and how has investment in them changed over time? What evidence is there that preventative services improve outcomes and deliver savings? What are the barriers to government taking a preventative approach? How could government funding be shifted towards preventative services? What can be learnt from previous examples of preventative approaches? To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Rt Hon Sir Sajid Javid MP, former Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Donna Molloy, Deputy Chief Executive at Foundations Lynn Perry MBE, Chief Executive of Barnardo’s The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Barnardo’s for kindly supporting this event.

The Rt Hon David Lammy MP set out how a foreign policy lens of 'progressive realism' might affect the practice of diplomacy, should Labour win the election. The discussion covered the evolution of the Foreign Office as an institution, under both Labour and Conservative governments. It focused in particular on the balance between traditional diplomatic activity and the new demands created by climate change, global health challenges and the regulation of emerging technologies. The Shadow Foreign Secretary also explored the convergence between domestic economic and foreign policy and its implications for how Labour's mission-driven approach would shape how Whitehall works on international issues. Following his speech, David Lammy was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, and took questions from the audience.

Parliament and regulators: How can scrutiny be improved? by Institute for Government

The Institute for Government welcomed Lucy Powell MP, the Shadow Leader of the Commons, to give a keynote speech on how a Labour government would approach parliament, the legislative process, and the role of MPs. With Westminster hit by a series of scandals in recent years, what can be done to restore parliament's image? How can the legislative process be improved? And how would Labour, if elected, approach the way that MPs work in parliament? Following her speech, Lucy Powell was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. She then took part in an audience Q&A.

General election: What makes a successful communications strategy? by Institute for Government

The success of the civil service has always depended on the recruitment and retention of exceptional individuals – and this means bringing in talented outsiders with particular skills and capabilities. It is 170 years since the Northcote-Trevelyan report argued that people “of the highest abilities should be selected for the highest posts” in Whitehall, while the government’s most recent reform plan, the 2021 Declaration on Government Reform, argued that more external recruits were needed. So, who are the officials at the very top of the civil service – and is enough being done to recruit the best outside talent? Permanent secretaries Cat Little, Sarah Munby and Gareth Davies joined us to discuss the benefits of external recruitment to the civil service.

On Thursday 2 May 2024, voters across England and Wales will head to the polls in a major set of local and mayoral elections. The highest-profile contests will be the election of 10 influential metro mayors – including in Greater London and across the north and the midlands. Together these leaders will be responsible for over £25bn of public spending and will play a vital role in shaping the fortunes of the places they represent. Thousands of councillors in over 100 local areas across England are also up for election, with the successful candidates taking responsibility for key public services at a time of acute financial pressures across local government. Voters will also elect 37 police and crime commissioners and the 25 members of the London Assembly. These elections are far more important than just providing a straw in the wind for the general election to come. To discuss why these elections matter and what to expect, the Institute for Government hosted a public event with expert panellists including: Sarah Calkin, Editor of the Local Government Chronicle Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University and Senior Research Fellow at the National Centre for Social Research Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government.

The establishment of the mayor of London and the London Assembly in 2000 was a milestone moment for English devolution. With a budget of over £20bn and responsibility for key functions – including transport, policing and economic development – the mayor of London is one of the most powerful and high-profile figures in British politics. The UK government has gone on to devolve powers to other cities and regions across England and in some cases – such as the ‘trailblazer’ deals offered to Greater Manchester and the West Midlands – these powers have gone further than London’s deal. So is it time to reopen London’s own devolution settlement? Is there a case for further devolution to the capital – and if so of which powers? How could the role of the mayor change in the future? And is wider reform of London’s institutions also needed? Ahead of the May 2024 mayoral and assembly elections, the Institute for Government – in partnership with OnLondon.co.uk – was pleased to host this event to consider where devolution to London goes next. We were joined by an expert panel, comprised of: Alison Griffin, Chief Executive of London Councils Alexander Jan, Chair of the Central District Alliance and Hatton Garden BIDs Antonia Jennings, Chief Executive of Centre for London Professor Tony Travers, Director of LSE London The event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director for Devolution at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank the Central District Alliance BID, the London Heritage Quarter and Primera for kindly supporting this event.

From little black books to pet tarantulas, MPs being dragged out of ambulances to vote and tantalising promises of ministerial office, the alleged ‘dark arts’ of the government Whips’ Office have a fearsome reputation. But in reality a government whip is an important conduit between backbenchers and No.10, while also playing an increasingly large role in supporting the wellbeing of MPs. After the election, whips will have to help a large intake of new MPs navigate the Commons – and keep an eye out for any potential ministerial talent. Following the IfG’s recent interviews with former government whips, this event considered how the role has evolved over recent decades. What makes an effective whip? Are whipping practices fit for the 2020s? And how should the role of a government whip change in the future? To explore these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP, former Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Rt Hon Anne Milton, former Deputy Chief Whip Dr Emma Peplow, Head of Oral History at the History of Parliament Trust Chris White, Co-Head, Advocacy at SEC Newgate and former special adviser The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Trust in government and politicians continues to fall, and this parliament has seen many ethical scandals, from partygate to bullying. Over the last few years, various organisations including the IfG have called for major reforms to the way ethical standards are upheld in public life, but the government has only made piecemeal changes. Labour has criticised the Conservatives for their performance on this issue, but has recently been less vocal on the topic. With an election due in the coming months, will the political parties make ethical standards an issue during the campaign? To discuss the IfG’s proposals on rebuilding trust in public life, how things can be improved, and why this topic matters ahead of the election, we were pleased to welcome a great panel: Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Shadow Minister Without Portfolio (Cabinet Office) and Labour MP for Torfaen Esther Webber, Senior UK Correspondent at Politico Rt Hon Sir Jeremy Wright MP, Conservative MP for Kenilworth and Southam and former Attorney General The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

Less than a year out from a general election, the significance of opinion polls in shaping public perception and political strategy is increasingly prominent. Political pundits, parties, journalists and members of the public look to opinion polls to give them a picture of what people are thinking about parties and politicians, their priorities and concerns, and how they might vote. Crucially, public opinion will inform political parties’ election strategies and the public’s voting decisions. But with multiple companies publishing a range of different polls, it can be a confusing landscape. To interpret polling results, understanding the methodologies behind opinion polls, including sampling, margin of error and the all-important question framing, is more important than ever. And for those trying to understand party strategies, it is essential to understand the role polling plays. To explore these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel including: Kelly Beaver MBE, Chief Executive of Ipsos in the UK and Ireland Christabel Cooper, Director of Research at Labour Together Rob Ford, Senior Fellow at UK in a Changing Europe Tom Lubbock, Founding Partner of JL Partners The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank UKICE for kindly supporting this event.

The question of how to reform the House of Lords dominates discussions about the upper house, with less attention focused on its day-to-day activities. Since his election as Lord Speaker in 2021, Lord McFall of Alcluith has sought to champion its important role of revising legislation and advising the government, while ensuring the Lords remains on the path of modernisation. Lord McFall has focused on parliamentary outreach and prioritised communicating the value of the House of Lords externally, bringing the devolved parliaments and Westminster closer. He has also worked with schools and universities, and launched a podcast, to demystify the upper house. What are public perceptions of the upper chamber and how have they changed? How has the Lords changed its ways of working? What kinds of links does it have with the devolved parliaments? And what might all of this mean for discussions about reform of the Lords? Lord McFall addressed these questions and more in a keynote speech at the Institute for Government, before taking part in a discussion with the IfG’s Director Dr Hannah White and an audience Q&A. Lord McFall of Alcluith became Lord Speaker in 2021, having served as senior deputy speaker for five years. He entered the Lords in 2010 after spending 23 years in the Commons as Labour MP for Dumbarton and later West Dumbartonshire. There, he served as a minister in the Northern Ireland Office, a government whip, and chaired the Treasury Select Committee between 2001 and 2010, including during the global financial crisis. Before entering politics, Lord McFall worked for over a decade as a teacher.

AI-generated ‘deepfake’ audio clips of both London mayor Sadiq Khan and leader of the opposition Sir Keir Starmer have circulated on social media. A faked robocall impersonating Joe Biden was sent to voters before a primary election. The number of AI-enhanced images of politicians is increasing. In a year when over two billion people in more than 50 countries will vote in elections, the use of AI technology – more widely accessible than ever – and disinformation could have a major impact on trust and integrity. So what can be done to tackle this growing problem? What can political parties, government, media companies and civil society do to mitigate the risks of AI and ensure electoral integrity? And what steps can be taken ahead the elections of 2024 and then in the longer term. We were joined by an expert panel, including: Professor Joe Burton, Professor of International Security in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University Louise Edwards, Director of Regulation and Digital Transformation at the Electoral Commission Chris Morris, Chief Executive of Full Fact Simon Staffell, Director of Government Affairs at Microsoft The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Lancaster University for kindly supporting this event.

Just a few hours after Jeremy Hunt sets out his spring budget, a team of Institute for Government experts gathered in the IfG studio to record a special edition of the Inside Briefing podcast. Olly Bartrum, Jill Rutter, Dr Gemma Tetlow and Giles Wilkes gave their instant reaction to the budget and shared expert analysis of a major day for the country. What have we learned from the chancellor’s big announcements and what choices did he make? What did the new OBR forecasts show about the UK’s economic prospects? What did it mean for public services? How did Labour respond? And how might this budget shape the battles on the economy at the next general election – and when that election might be held?

Public services have faced the greatest level of disruption from strikes in more than a quarter of a century. Over the past year nurses, ambulance drivers, teachers, junior doctors, consultants, and civil servants, among others, have all staged walkouts to protest against pay and working conditions. While improved pay offers from Rishi Sunak’s government have resolved many disputes, some staff are still on the picket line and other disputes could flare up again. So what impact has recent industrial disputes had on public service performance? What skills do ministers, civil servants, frontline public sector leaders and unions need to effectively negotiate with each other and resolve disputes – and what mechanisms can be used to resolve entrenched disputes? How effective are pay review bodies and do they need to be reformed? And to what extent will the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act help or hinder the management of industrial dispute? To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Mike Clancy, General Secretary at Prospect Baroness Finn, former Government Adviser on Industrial Relations Raj Jethwa, Chief Executive at UCEA Kate Nowicki, Director of Dispute Resolution at Acas The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

The Treasury is perhaps the most powerful department in Whitehall. Its ownership of public spending means it has direct control over the money available to the rest of government, while the Treasury’s responsibility for tax policy gives it enormous influence over the finances of households and businesses. But criticism of the department’s influence on government policy is almost as old as the institution itself, with frequent complaints about the “dead hand of the Treasury” or attacks on the department’s “orthodoxy”. However, a recent IfG report found many of the fiercest criticisms to be overblown: many simply represent a dislike of a budget constraint. The department plays an important function in effectively managing public spending and guarding against financial disorder. It has also consistently been a champion of economic growth, though there is debate about how that is managed against its responsibility for managing government spending. While the department has clear strengths, there are clearly problems with how it functions. The Treasury often takes a short-term approach, is frequently accused of micromanaging other departments, and wields excessive influence over government policy relative to the rest of the centre. So how can these problems be addressed? How much are they due to the relative weakness of other departments or the incentives facing Treasury ministers? And just what impact does the Treasury have on government policy making? Our expert panel exploring these issues and more featured: James Bowler CB, Permanent Secretary of HM Treasury Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research at the Health Foundation and former Director of Public Spending at HM Treasury David Gauke, former Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and co-author of Treasury orthodoxy, and former No 10 special adviser for industrial strategy The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. Data Bites aims to change that. This event was the 49th in our series, where the speakers present their work in an exciting, quickfire format.

Fraud is the UK’s most common crime. But despite 3.5 million incidents reported in 2022/23, 40% of all reported crimes, only one in a thousand results in a charge or summons. So why is there such a huge gap between preventing, detecting and prosecuting this crime – and what can be done to fix the problem? A wide range of organisations have responsibility for tackling fraud, including the Home Office, National Crime Agency, Serious Fraud Office, City of London Police, Metropolitan Police Service, Financial Conduct Authority and the National Cyber Security Centre. However, there are problems with coordination, capacity and capability. So what can government and others do to help prevent fraud? How can coordination among the various agencies responsible for tackling fraud be improved? And what steps could be taken to help increase detection and prosecution rates? We were joined by an expert panel, including: Francesca Carlesi, CEO of Revolut UK Adrian Searle, Director of the National Economic Crime Centre Nick Stapleton, Co-Presenter of BBC Scam Interceptors Rt Hon Emily Thornberry MP, Shadow Attorney General The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Revolut for kindly supporting this event.

As he prepares to step down as Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary for the Cabinet Office, Alex Chisholm spoke at the Institute for Government for his final time as a civil servant. During nearly a decade at the top of the civil service as a permanent secretary, Alex served four prime ministers and worked with three cabinet secretaries, covering eventful and tumultuous times. After four years as permanent secretary at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in 2020 Alex moved to his current role at the heart of the civil service. Having played a leading part in the civil service reform agenda, Alex reflected on the scheme to relocate parts of the civil service from London, efforts to improve Whitehall’s use of data and digital and to overhaul cross-departmental working, and his reflections on the government’s response during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the event, Alex Chisholm was in conversation with IfG Director Dr Hannah White and will take part in an audience Q&A.

The future of the UK asylum system could dominate the 2024 general election campaign. The prime minister has made his controversial Rwanda plan a flagship part of the government’s agenda, while Labour has committed to reforming the asylum system as part of its plan to tackle Channel crossings. Rishi Sunak pledged to clear the legacy asylum backlog by the end of 2023, but the sizeable backlog of people waiting for a decision remains – with the government struggling to deal with new asylum cases and problems elsewhere in the system. So what are these problems? Does the government have a coherent plan to bring down the backlog? And what can be done to improve the UK’s asylum system in the long term? This panel examined what steps the government can take to ensure the asylum system is fit for purpose in the long term. We were joined by an expert panel, including: Alvina Tamara Chibhamu, Ambassador at the VOICES network Sal Copley, Executive Director of Communications and External Affairs at the British Red Cross Lizzie Dearden, Home affairs journalist and author Sir Philip Rutnam, former Permanent Secretary at the Home Office The event was chaired by Joe Owen, Director of Impact at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank the British Red Cross for kindly supporting this event.

Political parties are increasingly focusing their energy and resources on the approaching general election campaign. The pace will be relentless. The atmosphere will be increasingly fraught. So as the campaign intensifies, how can think tanks make themselves heard – and help to shape policy and political debate? A dramatic – and sometimes chaotic – decade in British politics has brought new challenges to think tanks. Different think tanks, with a range of political views and policy priorities, play different roles – but how has their work evolved in recent years? What level of influence do they have in shaping the priorities and policies of opposition parties and government and how does this change in an election year? What are a think tank’s responsibilities when it works with political parties, government ministers or their advisers? And does being a registered charity impact how a think tank can inform and influence public debate and policy development? These questions and more were explored in a joint Institute for Government and Charity Commission event featuring: Andy Cook, Chief Executive of the Centre for Social Justice Polly Curtis, Chief Executive of Demos Orlando Fraser KC, Chair of the Charity Commission Dr Hannah White OBE, Director of the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Lord O'Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service (2005–11).

Fixing the centre of government by Institute for Government

Data Bites #48: Getting things done with data in government - smart data special by Institute for Government

With the general election less than a year away, the Conservatives, Labour and all other political parties are drawing up their manifestos. Scrutinised by the media and voters, manifestos can shape debate, shift the polls, and play a major part in an election campaign – and shape what the winning part does in government. While manifestos are described as a contract between a party and the people, the reality in government is often quite different. Pledges may prove difficult to deliver in practice, with unforeseen crises and the day-to-day challenges of governing seeing commitments fall by the wayside. In a coalition or minority government, parties may have to compromise. So how do the parties develop and write their manifestos? What does a good manifesto actually look like? What are the questions that Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will be considering when signing off on their manifestos? And just how important are manifestos during – and after – a general election campaign? Joining us to discuss these questions and more were: Andrew Fisher, former Executive Director of Policy for the Labour Party, and author of the 2017 and 2019 Labour manifestos Robert Shrimsley, Chief UK Political Commentator and Executive Editor at the Financial Times Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First, and co-author of the 2019 Conservative manifesto The event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Productivity Pitches #2: criminal justice and law enforcement by Institute for Government

Productivity in public services has never been more important. Most services are struggling to return to pre-pandemic performance levels, and both the Conservatives and Labour have indicated that they will stick to tight spending plans after the election. Improvements in performance will likely come from frontline workers finding new, innovative ways of delivering services.  So what can be done to improve productivity? By highlighting outstanding examples of innovation across public services, Productivity Pitches, a new series of events hosted by the IfG, aims to share and support ways to improve performance levels.  This event was the second in the series and will focus on the criminal justice system.  Each speaker had 10 minutes to present their innovation, followed by 10 minutes of audience questions. The chair and a guest from The Productivity Institute – who are kindly supporting this event series – then brought together the common themes from the pitches and discussed the lessons for improving productivity.  The speakers for this edition of Productivity Pitches were:  Mat Burbeck, Temporary Superintendent seconded to the independent Policing Productivity Team  Chantal Hughes, Chief Executive and Emma Hazan, CARA Development Manager at Hampton Trust Dr Varinder Panesar, Lead Forensic Psychologist/Therapies Lead and Neil Fraser, CSU & NDU Custodial Manager at HMP Pentonville The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Bart van Ark, the Managing Director of The Productivity Institute, joined the discussion of common themes.  Productivity Pitches is produced in partnership with The Productivity Institute.

Inside the Political Mind: How the human side of politics shapes behaviour by Institute for Government

Former deputy prime minister, health secretary and environment secretary Thérèse Coffey joined us at the Institute for Government to reflect on her nine years as government minister. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/therese-coffey

Devolution to Wales is almost 25 years old. Since the first Welsh assembly elections in 1999, the powers of the devolved institutions in Cardiff have been substantially expanded –with Welsh voters backing the historic transformation of the assembly into a law-making parliament in a 2011 referendum. A quarter of a century since devolution began, what are the potential next steps in Wales’s unfinished constitutional journey? Set up to address this very question, the cross-party Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales, established by the Welsh government, will publish its final report in January 2024 – a key moment in the debate on the future of Wales. The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS, the First Minister of Wales, to discuss the findings of the commission, his perspective on how devolution to Wales could be protected and strengthened, and how a future Labour government in Westminster should reform the constitution and improve relations with the devolved administrations. Mr Drakeford was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, followed by Q&A with the live and online audience.

A special live episode of The Expert Factor podcast. Adam Fleming, Presenter of BBC Newscast Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Professor Anand Menon, Director of UK in a Changing Europe Dr Hannah White OBE, Director of the Institute for Government

The essential IfG briefing and IfG Director's closing remarks by Institute for Government

Ready For Reform: Next Steps For The Civil Service (including The Launch Of Whitehall Monitor 2024) by Institute for Government

General election countdown: key challenges for government in 2024 by Institute for Government

Government Keynote Speech: Rt Hon John Glen MP by Institute for Government

Ending the decline: how to fix public services by Institute for Government

Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government, set out key findings from Performance Tracker – the IfG’s annual stocktake of nine key public services – ahead of a panel discussion on how public service performance can be turned around. Adam Boulton, former Political Editor of Sky News Councillor Georgia Gould, Leader of Camden Council Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, former Chancellor of the Exchequer Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government (Chair)

We were delighted to welcome Karin Smyth MP, Shadow Minister of Health, for a keynote speech at Government 2024, the IfG's annual conference with Grant Thornton UK LLP. This was followed by an in conversation with Dr Hannah White OBE, Director of the IfG.

2024 will be a crucial year for government and for British politics. With a general election no more than a year away, Rishi Sunak has asked to be judged on meeting his five pledges – and the pressure is on Keir Starmer to add policy details to his five missions. To mark the start of this pivotal 12 months, the Institute for Government’s annual conference brought together influential speakers and IfG experts to explore the key questions facing government – and opposition parties – in 2024, stimulate new thinking and discuss the year ahead. Dr Hannah White, IfG Director, gave a welcome to the conference, followed by opening remarks by Phillip Woolley, Partner at Grant Thornton UK.

Audio recording of event held at the Institute for Government, 16 January 2024.

The next general election is – at most – one year away. If Labour wins, there will, as is almost always the case in the UK, be an overnight transition of power. A party that has spent 14 years in opposition would be instantly thrown into government. But having focused already limited resources on election campaigning, and often lacking the knowledge and experience of being in government, how can opposition parties prepare for an overnight transition? Which issues do they need to consider ahead of a possible election win? And what challenges might arise on that first day in power? As the Institute’s research shows, proper preparation can make the difference between success and stagnation once in office. This event, the latest in the Institute for Government’s General Election programme, discussed a new IfG report – Preparing for government: How oppositions should ready themselves for power – which sets out how to prepare for a possible transition into government. Joining us to the discuss the report and its findings was an expert panel, including: Wes Ball, former Director of the Parliamentary Labour Party Baroness Fall, former Deputy Chief of Staff to David Cameron Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Lord Macpherson, former Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury (2005–16) The event was chaired by Joe Owen, Director of Impact at the Institute for Government. Follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @ifgevents and join the conversation using #IfGGeneralElection.

Governments often tackle similar issues again and again – from day-to-day matters to major challenges such as natural disasters, public health threats or global financial or security crises. So it is vital that governments learn from experience about what works – and what doesn’t – to improve the functioning of government. But extensive churn in ministers – and the civil servants who support them – means that institutional memory can be lost. In the mid-2010s, the Treasury was grappling with how to maintain and improve public service performance as budgets were squeezed. Senior officials in the department identified the need for a review of historic evidence to ensure they understood what the experience of previous decades showed about how to manage public spending effectively The Nuffield Foundation funded a project involving the Institute of Fiscal Studies (Paul Johnson, Rowena Crawford and Ben Zaranko) and a team based at the Blavatnik School of Government in Oxford (Christopher Hood, Iain McLean, Maia King and Barbara Piotrowska). The task of the IFS team was to assess what happened to UK spending over 1993–2015 from the available statistics, while the Blavatnik team explored the more qualitative aspects of public spending control over the same period from a mixture of published sources, interviews and archival material – now published in book form (The Way the Money Goes: The Fiscal Constitution and Public Spending in the UK). Drawing on that work, this event will reflect on the value – but also the challenges – of historical research on government and explore what can be learnt from past experience in the planning and control of public spending. To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by a panel of experts: Sir Charles Bean, Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics and former member of the Budget Responsibility Committee at the Office for Budget Responsibility (2017–21) Mark Franks, Director of Welfare at the Nuffield Foundation Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Professor Christopher Hood, Visiting Professor at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University Conrad Smewing, Director General, Public Spending at HM Treasury The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

In this first Productivity Pitches event, a new series that the Institute for Government will organise jointly with The Productivity Institute, we were delighted to welcome Cat Little, Second Permanent Secretary to the Treasury and Bart van Ark, Managing Director of The Productivity Institute to discuss these questions: What are the causes of weak productivity growth in public services? How can digital and AI play in improving public service productivity? What lessons can be learned from the private sector? With little room for manoeuvre to increase spending on struggling public services, the UK government must ensure that every pound is spent well. However, public service productivity fell both during and after the pandemic. For example, the government’s successful programme to increase the number of police officers by 20,000 has only resulted in a small improvement to charge rates. Some important hospital activity is still below pre-pandemic levels despite substantial spending increases and rising staff numbers. And ONS records show that adult social care productivity more or less stalled for the decade before the pandemic. So with the fiscal situation unlikely to improve in the immediate future, what can government and frontline services do to improve productivity? The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Productivity Pitches is a new quarterly series hosted by the Institute for Government highlighting examples of productivity improvements in public services. These events will look at innovations in everything from technology and IT to management and clinical improvements, allowing those on the frontline to showcase how their innovations are improving service performance and saving money.

Earlier this month Lord Maude, who served as Minister for the Cabinet Office from 2010-2015, published his Independent Review of Governance and Accountability in the Civil Service. The comprehensive review saw Maude speak to former and present civil service leaders, minister and ex-ministers, former prime ministers, and many civil servants. Maude concludes that “the arrangements for governance and accountability of the civil service are unclear, opaque and incomplete”, and that the centre of government has become "unwieldy, with confusion about where responsibilities lie." So what is Lord Maude’s plan to fix these problems and how would his 57 recommendations work? Ministers have reacted coolly to Maude’s plan to split the Treasury and create an Office of Budget and Management, but is he right? What responsibilities should the cabinet secretary hold? And what can be done to ensure this review of the civil service succeeds when so many previous attempts have failed? To discuss these questions and more, Lord Maude joined us in conversation at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Read the IfG's response to the Maude review.

In 2019, the UK government passed trailblazing legislation committing itself to achieving ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The UK has already made significant progress in decarbonising its economy: carbon emissions have fallen by over 45% from the 1990s levels. This has been mainly achieved through centrally directed policy to decrease emissions from power generation, by substituting coal generation for gas and investment in renewable energy. But reducing emissions further will require disruptive policy and behavioural change across a wider range of sectors, involving a more diffuse set of actors. Metro mayors and local government in England will play a key role, given their powers in critical areas such as transport, planning, housing, skills and economic strategy. This event explored how mayors and other local leaders are using devolved powers to achieve net zero at the regional level, by supporting the growth of green industry and energy, investing in clean transport and infrastructure, retrofitting houses and buildings to reduce emissions, and upskilling the population for the green jobs of the future. Drawing on research it published earlier this year, Net zero and devolution: The role of England’s mayors in the climate transition, the Institute for Government hosted a virtual event in partnership with The Royal Society to discuss these questions. To explore these questions and more, our expert panel included: Ed Cox, Executive Director - Strategy, Economy & Net Zero at the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)Professor Joanna D. Haigh, Research Fellow at Imperial College LondonRosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for GovernmentShirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy at the Greater London Authority The event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by The Royal Society.

After Rishi Sunak used the recent Conservative Party Conference to pitch himself as the ‘change’ candidate, the autumn statement on 22 November was Jeremy Hunt’s first opportunity to set out the government’s new tax and spending plans. But what the prime minister and chancellor offered was in part be shaped by the new economic and fiscal forecasts they were given by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the UK’s independent fiscal watchdog. So, what did the autumn statement reveal about this government’s approach to economic and fiscal policy? How has the economic and fiscal outlook changed since March and how might that shape the general election campaign? Does the government have any new plans to try to boost growth and household incomes? What do the government’s public spending plans look like – and are they plausible? To explore these questions and more, our expert panel included: - Anoosh Chakelian, Britain Editor of the New Statesman - Stuart Hoddinott, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government - Richard Hughes, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility - Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

High standards are crucial for maintaining public trust in the police – but in recent years the reputation of the Metropolitan Police has been damaged by a number of scandals. Sir Mark Rowley was appointed as Met Commissioner in September 2022 with a mandate to bring in higher standards of policing, reduce crime rates, and deliver more trust in the Met Police. At this Institute for Government event, the Commissioner set out how he intends to achieve his priorities, including through changes to police structures, improved leadership, and the New Met for London plan. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. Following his brief opening remarks, the Commissioner took part in a Q&A with the in-person and online audience.

Rishi Sunak has until December 2024 to call an election. While the formal starting pistol has yet to be fired, and may not be for at least a year, the long campaign has already begun. Both Sunak and Starmer are presenting themselves as the change candidate and the person to fix a country that – they both argue – is struggling to find its way. Kicking off the Institute's General Election programme, this event reflected on the opening pitches of the two main parties at their recent conferences. It will ask what change the country, government and political system needs, what change the voters want, and whether either party has a plan to deliver it. Joining us were: Kelly Beaver, Chief Executive of Ipsos in the UK and Ireland Lord Mandelson, Chairman of Global Counsel and former minister in the Blair and Brown governments Kate McCann, Political Editor at Times Radio Lord Willetts, President of the Resolution Foundation and former minister in the Major and Cameron governments The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. Data Bites aims to change that. This event was the 47th in our series, where the speakers present their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Phillip Davies, Deputy Director of Business Surveys and Registers Transformation, Office for National Statistics, on ‘Business Data Collection: Digital by Default & A Future Vision Gordon Guthrie, Research Fellow at Scottish Government under the First Minister's Digital Fellowship Programme, on constitutional oversight of data as the foundation for digital transformation Adam Locker, Head of Data Architecture and Engineering at National Highways, on getting data things done Siân Thomas, Chief Data Officer at the Department for Business and Trade, on agile governance of Large Language Models (LLMs) The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The Ministers Reflect archive includes interviews with ministers who have served under every prime minister between Margaret Thatcher and Liz Truss. They all faced their own challenges and had to deal with the problems of the era in which they served in government, but there is much that unites their experience of holding ministerial office. So what does it mean to be a minister? What are the most important skills and attitudes for success? How has the role changed over recent years, and between different governments? And what can future ministers learn from their predecessors? Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Dame Angela Eagle MP, Labour MP for Wallasey and member of the Treasury Select Committee Marie Le Conte, journalist and author Ann Francke, Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. This event was part of the IfG's Ministers Reflect one-day conference.

The Institute’s Ministers Reflect project includes several interviews with former ministers in the devolved governments in the UK, and the model of long-form interviews with former ministers has been exported to a number of countries around the world. Of course, the political and cultural contexts differ, and the ease of access to former ministers varies between these countries. But there are many similarities between the experiences of ministers and the challenges they face in leading officials, passing legislation and getting things done in government. To discuss how ministers’ roles vary around the UK and around the world, and how Ministers Reflect-style interviews can inform our understanding of government, we were joined by: Professor Caspar van den Berg, Chair in Global and Local Governance at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, and member of the Dutch Senate Dr Hans Gutbrod, Associate Professor of Public Policy at Ilia State University in Georgia Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was part of the IfG's Ministers Reflect one-day conference.

The Ministers Reflect archive is a unique source for those outside government too. The interviews provide a rich, publicly available seam of material for academics interested in UK government, politics and policy making. Several researchers are already interrogating the archive in a variety of ways – from using textual analysis to explore ministerial leadership styles, to qualitative comparisons examining different approaches to specific ministerial roles. To discuss how they have used Ministers Reflect interviews in their work and what they have found, we were joined by: Professor John Boswell, Associate Professor in Politics at the University of Southampton Dr Jessica Smith, Lecturer in Politics with Quantitative Methods at the University of Edinburgh Dr Orly Siow, Associate Senior Lecturer in Gender Studies at Lund University This event was chaired by Dr Alice Lilly, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. This event was part of the IfG's Ministers Reflect one-day conference.

One of the most common themes in Ministers Reflect interviews is the relationship between ministers and civil servants. From the importance of a good private office team, to civil servants’ poor understanding of parliament, to ongoing gripes around spelling and grammar, there are many things that ministers wish the civil service did differently. To discuss how the civil service can use Ministers Reflect to understand what ministers want, and how they can improve the support they offer, we were joined by: Chloe Smith MP, MP for Norwich North, and former minister at Department for Science, Innovation and Technology; Department for Work and Pensions; and Cabinet Office. Dame Una O’Brien DCB, former Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care (then Department of Health) Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was part of the IfG's Ministers Reflect one-day conference.

Ministers Reflect interviews show us what governing looks like from the inside. They offer a range of perspectives on what being a minister actually involves on a day-to-day basis, the different aspects of the job, and how ministers develop their approach to the role over time. To explore ministerial life and what the archive reveals about it, we were joined by Leighton Andrews, Professor of Practice in Public Service Leadership at Cardiff University, and a former Minister for Education and Minister for Public Services in the Welsh government. Leighton not only uses Ministers Reflect interviews in his teaching about government and policy making, but is also drawing on the archive in a forthcoming book about ministerial leadership. Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This event was part of the IfG's Ministers Reflect one-day conference.

Public services were hit hard by the pandemic, which exacerbated existing performance problems and pressures on staff. High inflation and widespread strikes have since caused further disruption. Ahead of the autumn statement, this event brought together an expert panel to discuss: How does public service performance compare to pre-pandemic levels? How can the government recruit and retain sufficient staff to improve public service performance? What are the key public service challenges that will be faced by the winner of the next election? As the Institute for Government and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) publish the latest edition of Performance Tracker which features new analysis on the performance of public services, Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, presented the key findings. He was joined by Stephen Bush, Associate Editor and Columnist at the Financial Times, and Baroness Morris, Chair of the Lords Public Services Committee. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government, with opening remarks by Jeffrey Matsu, Chief Economist at CIPFA.

To mark the publication of her new book, The Women Who Made Modern Economics, Rachel Reeves MP sat down with IfG's Chief Economist, Dr Gemma Tetlow.

Twenty-five years after the Scotland Act established the devolved Scottish government and parliament, the future of devolution and Scotland’s place in the union remain contentious issues. The SNP continues to advocate for Scottish independence. Meanwhile, the UK government has pursued a strategy of ‘muscular unionism’. Scottish Labour has called for a new approach, based on greater cooperation between UK and Scottish governments, and for stronger local government within Scotland. So what does Scotland’s constitutional future hold? The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Anas Sarwar MSP, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party. How can Scottish devolution be strengthened? What might a future Labour government at Westminster mean for relations with Holyrood? And what is Sarwar’s vision for Scotland’s place in a reformed union? To discuss these questions and more, Anas Sarwar was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, followed by Q&A with the live and online audience. Follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @ifgevents and join the conversation using #IfGSarwar.

If Scotland became independent, the nation would face some fundamental questions about the operation of its political system. It would need a new constitution; which the Scottish government proposes should be a written one, enshrining key rights and principles. And it would need to decide whether to re-join the EU, in line with the SNP’s position, with implications for the operation of the government, the role of the courts and parliamentary scrutiny. The event sought to answer some of the following key questions: What would the process for agreeing a codified constitution look like? How would popular sovereignty work in practice? How could a new constitution command cross-party and public consensus? How should the constitution be changed? Should Scotland re-join the EU? Should Scotland hold a referendum? What would re-joining the EU mean for Scotland and its political system? What can we learn from other countries? Speakers: Jamie Hepburn MSP, Minister for Independence Professor Anand Menon, Director of UK in a Changing Europe Lesley Riddoch, Broadcaster, journalist and author Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and UK in a Changing Europe Jess Sargeant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government This event was held in partnership with UK in a Changing Europe.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. Data Bites aims to change that. This event was the 46th in our series, where the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Prateek Buch, Head of Collective Intelligence at Policy Lab, on their approach to crowdsourcing knowledge Craig Campbell, High Streets Data Service Manager at the Greater London Authority, on adaptive re-use of data for adaptive re-use of high streets Caroline Kempner, Head of Data Transformation at the Department for Education, on automated daily school attendance data Becky Tinsley, Deputy Director of ONS Local and Coherence, and Emma Hickman, Deputy Director of Subnational Statistics and Analysis at the Office for National Statistics, on ONS's work on subnational statistics and the ONS Local service The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

Questions about standards in public life have dominated politics in recent years. As Chair of the independent Committee on Standards in Public Life since 2018, Lord Evans KCB DL has been at the heart of these debates, leading the committee’s work to define and uphold ethical standards across the public sector. As Lord Evans reaches the end of his five-year term, he joined the Institute for Government to reflect on the work of the committee and the UK’s approach to standards in public life more broadly. He discussed how the standards landscape has changed, the challenges he anticipates, and how he would like to see public standards strengthened in future. After his speech, Lord Evans was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

This event was part of the IfG's Conservative Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister of State (Cabinet Office) Brendan Clarke-Smith MP, former Minister at the Cabinet Office Anthony Kirby, Chief Executive Officer of Serco UK & Europe Sarah Vibert, Chief Executive Officer of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Serco.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Dame Nia Griffith MP, Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office) Debbie Abrahams MP, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth Aubrey Allegretti, Senior Political Correspondent for The Guardian Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Duncan Hames, Director of Policy and Programmes at Transparency International UK Dr Susan Hawley, Executive Director of Spotlight on Corruption This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Transparency International UK, UK Anti-Corruption Coalition and Spotlight on Corruption.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Matt Rodda MP, Shadow Minister for AI and Intellectual Property Dr Andrew Rogoyski, Institute for People-Centred Artificial Intelligence at the University of Surrey Hetan Shah, Chief Executive of the British Academy Anna Thomas, Co-Founder and Founding Director of the Institute for the Future of Work This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the Institute for People-Centred Artificial Intelligence at the University of Surrey.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Mike Clancy, General Secretary of Prospect Ian Mulheirn, Economist and public policy expert Sonia Sodha, Chief Lead Writer at the Observer Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Prospect.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Dame Nia Griffith MP, Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office) Anthony Kirby, Chief Executive Officer of Serco UK & Europe Sarah Vibert, Chief Executive Officer of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Serco.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Anneliese Dodds MP, Party Chair and Chair of the National Policy Review Dr Fiona Aldridge, Head of Insight - Economic Delivery, Skills and Communities at the West Midlands Combined Authority Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice and Vice Dean of Humanities at The University of Manchester This event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Policy@Manchester.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Daniel Zeichner MP, Shadow Minister for Farming, Food and Fisheries Sophie Metcalfe, Researcher at the Institute for Government Ben Reynolds, Deputy Chief Executive of Sustain Richard Sloggett, Founder and Programme Director at Future Health Nilani Sritharan, Group Head of Healthy and Sustainable Diets at Sainsbury’s This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Obesity Health Alliance, the Food Foundation and Sustain.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Andrew Gwynne MP, Shadow Minister for Social Care) Sam Freedman, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Rachel Sylvester, Political Columnist at The Times Dr Paul Williams, UK Division President at Maximus This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director of the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Maximus.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Chi Onwurah MP, Shadow Minister for Science, Research and Innovation Katherine Bennett, Chief Executive Officer at the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Chris Giles, Economics Commentator at the Financial Times Professor Mary Ryan, Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) at Imperial College London Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Imperial College London.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Paula Barker MP, Shadow Minister for Devolution and the English Regions Simon Christian, Director at Grant Thornton UK LLP Richard Parker, Labour & Co-op Candidate for West Midlands Mayor Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Jack Shaw, Affiliate Researcher, Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge Jessica Studdert, Deputy Chief Executive, New Local This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Grant Thornton UK LLP.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Rt Hon Baroness Smith, Shadow Leader of the House of Lords Anas Sarwar MSP, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party Stephen Bush, Associate Editor at the Financial Times Dave Penman, General Secretary of the FDA Jess Sargeant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the FDA.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Mick Antoniw MS, Counsel General of Wales and Minister for the Constitution for the Welsh Government Cllr Julia Buckley, Leader of Shropshire Council and prospective parliamentary candidate for Shrewsbury Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Jess Sargeant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the Electoral Reform Society.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Sarah Jones MP, Shadow Minister for Industry and Decarbonisation Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire Anna Turley, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate and former Member of Parliament for Redcar Dr Victoria Hutchinson, Director of Environment Practice at AtkinsRéalis Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by AtkinsRéalis.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Dr Alan Whitehead MP, Shadow Minister for Energy Security Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of ScottishPower Emma Pinchbeck, Chief Executive of Energy UK Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Energy UK.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Charlotte Nichols MP, Member of the Business and Trade Select Committee Dr Tony Ballance, Chief Strategy and Regulation Officer at Cadent Gas Laura Sandys CBE, Non-Executive Director at Energy Systems Catapult Dhara Vyas, Deputy Chief Executive at Energy UK This event was chaired by Olly Bartrum, Senior Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Cadent Gas.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Select Committee Kate Bell, Assistant General Secretary at the Trades Union Congress Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Kate Shoesmith, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation.

This event was part of the IfG's Labour Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Dame Nia Griffith MP, Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office) Mike Adamson, Chief Executive of the British Red Cross Professor Clare Bambra, Professor of Public Health at Newcastle University Tom Sasse, Britain Public Policy Editor at The Economist This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the British Red Cross.

This event was part of the IfG's Conservative Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Rt Hon Jeremy Quin MP, Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office Anita Boateng, former Special Adviser and Partner at Portland Communications Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Ben Warner, former Chief Adviser on Digital and Data to the Prime Minister This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

This event was part of the IfG's Conservative Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Jack Brereton MP, Member of the Transport Select Committee Cllr Abi Brown, Conservative Councillor for the Meir Park ward and former leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice and Vice Dean of Humanities at The University of Manchester This event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Policy@Manchester.

This event was part of the IfG's Conservative Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Cllr Ben Bradley MP, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council and Member of Parliament for Mansfield Dr Fiona Aldridge, Head of Insight - Economic Delivery, Skills and Communities at the West Midlands Combined Authority Dr Victoria Hutchinson, Environment Practice Director at AtkinsRéalis Margot James, Executive Chair of Warwick Manufacturing Group and former Minister for Digital, Telecoms and the Creative Industries Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by AtkinsRéalis.

This event was part of the IfG's Conservative Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Jo Gideon MP, Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent Central John Maingay, Director of Policy and Influencing at the British Heart Foundation Sophie Metcalfe, Researcher at the Institute for Government Dr Alison E Tedstone, Independent Adviser and former Chief Nutritionist at Public Health England/UK Health Security Agency This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the Obesity Health Alliance, The Food Foundation, and Sustain.

This event was part of the IfG's Conservative Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Dr Tony Ballance, Chief Strategy & Regulation Officer at Cadent Gas Josh Buckland, Partner at Flint Global Colm Murphy, Head of Transformation at National Grid ESO Dhara Vyas, Deputy Chief Executive at Energy UK This event was chaired by Olly Bartrum, Senior Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Cadent Gas.

This event was part of the IfG's Conservative Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Lord Bethell, former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the (Department of Health and Social Care Dr Layla McCay, Director of Policy at the NHS Confederation Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This event was part of the IfG's Conservative Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: George Freeman MP, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology James Wild MP, Member of Parliament for North West Norfolk Anna Bradley, Chair of the Solicitors Regulation Authority Phoebe Clay, Co-Director of Unchecked UK Antony Walker, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of techUK This event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

This event was part of the IfG's Conservative Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Rt Hon Lord Maude of Horsham, Member of the House of Lords and former Minister of State for Trade and Investment and Minister for the Cabinet Office Virginia Crosbie MP, Member of Parliament for Ynys Môn Professor Adam Boddison OBE, Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Project Management Alastair Evans, Director of Corporate and Government Affairs of Rolls-Royce SMR This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the Association for Project Management.

This event was part of the IfG's Conservative Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: George Freeman MP, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Katherine Bennett, Chief Executive Officer at the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Professor Nigel Brandon, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College London Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Imperial College London.

This event was part of the IfG's Conservative Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers: Paul Scully MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Dr Andrew Rogoyski, Institute for People-Centred Artificial Intelligence at the University of Surrey Hetan Shah, Chief Executive of the British Academy Anna Thomas, Co-Founder and Founding Director of the Institute for the Future of Work This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the Institute for People-Centred Artificial Intelligence at the University of Surrey.

This event was part of the IfG's Conservative Party Conference 2023 fringe programme. Speakers:  John Penrose MP, former Minister for Constitutional Reform Henry Hill, Deputy Editor of ConservativeHome Amy Leversidge, Assistant General Secretary at the FDA Jess Sargeant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the FDA.

Revelations about the widespread use of – and failure to replace – reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in schools have put government capital spending in the spotlight.  For decades the UK has invested less than other wealthy nations. Government departments receive relatively ungenerous capital budgets, consistently underspend, and in some cases use capital budgets to cover day-to-day spending shortfalls. This has impacted on public service productivity and led to serious concerns being raised about the safety of some public buildings – with the concrete crisis in schools the most recent example. So why has the UK government historically set relatively low capital budgets and why do departments consistently underspend capital allocations? How can government provide public services with higher, more stable capital settlements and ensure that public service infrastructure is adequately maintained and renewed? What can we learn from other countries?  To discuss these questions and more, the Institute for Government brought together a panel of experts including: Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research at the Health Foundation Chris Giles, Economics Editor at the Financial Times Edwin Lau, Head of the Infrastructure and Public Procurement Division Public Governance Directorate at the OECD Lord O'Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary and Permanent Secretary for the Treasury The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

Baroness Hale, former President of the Supreme Court, joins Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, and Professor Michael Kenny, Director of Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge, for an in conversation. This event was part of the IfG and Bennett Institute's joint conference on the Future of the UK Constitution.

There is now an expectation that the public should be consulted on constitutional change. However, traditional routes for gaining public legitimacy – such as referendums and elections – can result in binary choices, or unclear mandates.  So is there a greater role for deliberative democracy? Processes including citizens' assemblies, with informed discussions amongst a representative group of citizens, can offer many benefits to decision-makers, but getting them right is a challenge and getting them wrong can do more harm than good. When and how the public should be involved in constitutional decision making? How could options for deliberative democracy best be implemented? What are the challenges and benefits of this approach? Speakers: Sarah Allan, Director of Capacity Building and Standards at Involve Joanne Anderson, former Mayor of Liverpool Doreen Grove, Head of Open Government at the Scottish government Professor Alison L Young, Sir David Williams Professor of Public Law at the University of Cambridge This event was chaired by Dr Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. This event was part of the IfG and Bennett Institute's joint conference on the Future of the UK Constitution.

The devolution settlement of 1999 marked a major constitutional development for the UK, but over two decades on devolution is anything but settled. The devolved governments and parliaments have become established features of the UK constitution, but the UK’s central institutions have failed to adapt. With further devolution on the agenda, there may be more changes in the near future. So what can the UK government, parliament and civil service do to improve the workings of devolution? How can the UK government work with devolved legislatures to achieve common aims whilst also respecting the desire for policy divergence in different nations? How can the UK parliament reflect the multi-national state? And what civil service reforms are needed to facilitate co-operation over conflict? Speakers: Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland MP, former Secretary of State for Wales Christine Jardine MP, Member of Parliament for Edinburgh West and Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Scotland) Ciaran Martin, Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations at the Blavatnik School of Government Jessica Studdert, Deputy Chief Executive of New Local The event was chaired by Professor Michael Kenny, Director of Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge

Speakers: Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Dr Alice Lilly, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government> Jack Newman, Research Associate at the Productivity Institute and the Department of Politics, University of Manchester Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Jess Sargeant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. This event was part of the IfG and Bennett Institute's joint conference on the Future of the UK Constitution.

Parliament is at the centre of the UK constitution, passing law, representing citizens, and holding the government to account. However, the government’s strong control of the House of Commons, and issues of democratic legitimacy in the House of Lords, have raised questions about whether parliament is an effective check on the executive.  So how well does parliament fulfil its constitutional role? Are MPs and peers able – and willing to protect the constitution? What reforms are needed to help ensure that they can?  Speakers: Rt Hon Sir David Lidington, former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Rt Hon the Baroness Smith of Basildon, Shadow Leader of the House of Lords Rt Hon the Lord Wallace of Saltaire, Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson on the Cabinet Office  Dr Hannah White OBE, Director of the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Jess Sargeant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. This event was part of the IfG and Bennett Institute's joint conference on the Future of the UK Constitution.

Briefing on the final report from the IfG/Bennett Institute team. To mark the conclusion of the Institute for Government/Bennett Institute Review of the UK Constitution, this special one-day event brought together commentators, academics and parliamentarians for a series of keynote speeches and panels to consider all these questions and more.

The Institute for Government welcomed Rt Hon Liz Truss MP to give a keynote speech on the economy. A year since her government’s Growth Plan – the September 2022 ‘mini-budget’ – including a programme of tax cuts and supply side reforms, the former prime minister set out her vision for how the government could enable the UK to achieve faster economic growth. Following her speech Liz Truss was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, the Director of the Institute for Government, before taking part in a Q&A with an invited audience.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. Data Bites aims to change that. This event was the 45th in our series, where the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Penny Babb, Head of Policy and Standards at the Office for Statistics Regulation, on the review of the Code of Practice for Statistics. Ian Gordon, Head of Data at Parliament Restoration and Renewal on Data and the Built Environment Nic Granger, Director of Corporate and Chief Financial Officer at the North Sea Transition Authority and Chair of the Offshore Energy Data Strategy Taskforce, on digitalising offshore energy Kaveh Jahanshahi, Lead Data Scientist at the ONS Data Science Campus, on estimation of travel to work matrices The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The Darlington Economic Campus is rapidly establishing itself as the civil service’s flagship office outside of London – and has been described by chancellor Jeremy Hunt as moving “decision makers and advisers closer to the communities we serve.”  So how has the Darlington Economic Campus changed the way policy is made? What difference has it made to the local area and is it contributing to the levelling up agenda? What are the factors behind the campus’s success and should it be used as a blueprint for future relocations? And what are the next steps in the government’s plan to relocate the civil servants from London?  A recent IfG report has evaluated the impact of the Darlington Economic Campus on the civil service and the local area and set out recommendations for current and future relocations.  At this event, which was held in Darlington, there was a welcome from Nigel Robinson from PA Consulting, and a short presentation from Jordan Urban, the report’s lead author. Baroness Penn, Treasury Lords Minister, responded to the IfG's research. An expert panel discussion followed, featuring: Jo Crellin, Director General, Trading Systems at the Department for Business and Trade Mike Hughes, Business and Commercial Editor at The Northern Echo Baroness Penn, Treasury Lords Minister Andrew Perkin, Business Growth and Investment Manager at Darlington Borough Council Beth Russell, Second Permanent Secretary to the Treasury The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by PA Consulting.

The government’s plans for capital projects have repeatedly shifted over the last decade. Capital budgets have been cut, then boosted, and now retrenchment is planned again. And major capital projects, such as HS2, have been subject to revisions in budget and scope. The five-year national infrastructure delivery plan and the national infrastructure and construction pipeline only apply to some projects and are still subject to change. This makes it difficult for the construction sector to plan, which can increase government costs and mean its capital budgets do not go as far. So what are the benefits of, and barriers to, a longer-term and more stable project pipeline? This event explored those key questions from both the government’s and industry’s perspective. To explore these questions and more, our expert panel included: Sir John Armitt, Chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission Steve Beechey, Group Public Sector Director at Wates Bill Esterson MP, Shadow Minister for Business and Industry Urvashi Parashar, Chief Impact Officer and Chief Economist at the UK Infrastructure Bank The event was chaired by Olly Bartrum, Senior Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Wates Group.

There has been no shortage of central government attempts to support regional development over past decades, but these have been insufficient to close the widening gaps in geographical disparities, with efforts lacking scale, coordination, data and effective oversight, and policies ultimately proving short lived. So what can be done to fix the problem? The Levelling Up White Paper proposed several reforms to 'rewire Whitehall' to ensure the government delivered more effective regional policy, including the creation of a Levelling Up Advisory Council (LUAC) – an expert group reporting to the levelling up secretary of state – to provide insight, challenge, and advice to the government on its design and delivery of the levelling up policy agenda. This event will also consider how central government can best be organised to deliver effective long-term regional policy, whether the white paper’s reforms are the right ones, what difference structures like the Advisory Council make, and what else is needed. So what progress has the government made on implementing the white paper proposals? What difference have the structures set out in the white paper made already and is the LUAC fulfilling the purpose it was set up for? What are the key challenges for a government when trying to deliver cross-cutting policy? And are the structures in place for cross-government working, between central and devolved governments, adequate to deliver regional policy effectively? To discuss these questions and more, the Institute for Government brought together an expert panel. Andy Haldane, Chair of the Levelling Up Advisory Council and Chief Executive of the RSA Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering and member of the Levelling Up Advisory Council The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government

How to restore trust in politics by strengthening standards in public life has been in the spotlight in recent years. The Labour Party has proposed a new, independent Ethics and Integrity Commission to “stamp out corruption in government, strengthen the rules and ensure they are enforced.” But how would that commission work in practice? If Labour forms the next government, what powers would the commission have to investigate alleged poor behaviour? How will it enforce its judgements? Who would sit on the commission and how will it work with government ministers? To answer all these questions and set out her vision for how to make politics work better at a time of depleted trust, the Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, Labour’s Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, gave a keynote speech at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Following her speech, Angela Rayner took part in a Q&A with the in-person and online audience.

Impartiality is a defining feature of the UK’s civil service – and one if its ‘core values’ – but the future of civil service impartiality is in the spotlight. Brexit, and the strained relationship between ministers and civil servants that characterised the Johnson and Truss governments, have seen ministers accuse officials of obstructing their agendas, with Dominic Raab attacking “increasingly activist” civil servants when he resigned from government. The ability of an impartial civil service to serve governments of any political persuasion has been widely acknowledged as one of its strengths for generations, but recent tensions have led to calls for more political appointees in government. So what can the UK learn from other countries? How do different governments approach the question of civil service impartiality? What are the benefits – and risks – of political appointments? And what is the right balance between impartial officials and political appointees? To explore these questions, and identify any lessons for the UK, the IfG brought together a panel of experts from around the world, including: Dr Catherine Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Professor Donald Moynihan, McCourt Chair at the McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, Washington D.C Peter Woolcott AO, former Australian Public Service Commissioner This event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. Data Bites aims to change that. This event was the 44th in our series, where the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience.  This month's speakers were:  Stan Gilmour, National Risk Technology Lead at the Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser, National Police Chief’s Council, to provide an update from his discussion at Data Bites #8 on the progress towards a Common Data Platform for cross-agency data collaboration in support of public health approaches to serious violence prevention and the potential for wider support to ‘whole of society’ change programmes Lex Jones, Chief Executive of the Registry Trust, on using better data to make better decisions Michał Poręba, Head of Profession for Data Architecture and Data Engineering at the Department for Business and Trade, on Data in DDaT: Our Perspective Jen Woolford, Director of Population Statistics at the Office for National Statistics, on the future of population statistics The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The rule of law is a fundamental principle of a constitutional democracy – but in recent years it has been the subject of much debate. What role should the rule of law play? What is the government’s commitment to the rule of law? And what part should public law play in solving political disputes? As Attorney General, Victoria Prentis KC MP acts at the intersection of politics and the law. She is Chief Legal Adviser to the Crown and advises the government on both domestic and international law. The Attorney General's Office oversees the Law Officers’ departments, which include the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office, and the Government Legal Department, where the Attorney General was herself a government lawyer for 17 years before being elected as an MP. She gave a keynote speech at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. Following her speech the Attorney General took part in a Q&A with the in-person and online audience.

Devolution deals have transferred control of various budgets and functions – including over transport, skills, housing and planning – from central government to metro mayors and combined authorities in many parts of England. The devolution process is continuing. Five new mayors are due to be elected in 2024 – in the East Midlands, North East, York and North Yorkshire, Suffolk and Norfolk – and additional powers are being devolved to Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. A further wave of deals is expected before the 2024 general election, with Labour also committed to extending devolution if it forms the next government. So how can England’s cities and counties best negotiate and implement devolution deals? How should they establish effective new combined authorities to run devolved functions? And what lessons can be learnt from the past decade of devolution? The Institute for Government – in partnership with the University of Nottingham’s Institute for Policy and Engagement – hosted a launch event in Nottingham for its new report setting out evidence-based advice for how to make a success of devolution. After a welcome by Professor Jane Norman, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Nottingham, Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, presented the report’s findings. There was then be a discussion among panellists including: Cllr Ben Bradley MP, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council and MP for Mansfield Professor Sarah Hall, Professor of Economic Geography at the University of Nottingham and Senior Fellow at UK in a Changing Europe Richard Parker, Labour Party candidate in 2024 for Mayor of the West Midlands The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

Tackling climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing governments across the world. With both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer pledging to hit ambitious emissions targets and make the UK a clean energy ‘superpower’, the net zero agenda will be a major issue at the next general election. So what needs to be done to switch the UK from being an economy powered by carbon to one that is near emissions free, and does the UK have a credible plan to hit its net zero targets? To explore these critical questions, and examine what government needs to do to meet its climate objectives, the Institute for Government brought together leading politicians and experts from the UK and beyond for a special net zero conference. The morning focused on whether the UK government has the right policies in place to cut emissions. And in the afternoon we examined government’s role in supporting green industries, following major subsidies announced by the US and the EU. This event explored how the UK should respond as other countries shift towards green industries. Speakers included: Elisabetta Cornago, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Reform Joss Garman, Executive Director of the European Climate Foundation Michael Liebreich, Chairman and CEO of Liebreich Associates Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and former special adviser Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government (chair) With a brief introduction from Amanda Tickel, Head of Tax and Trade Policy at Deloitte.

At this session, the Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Net Zero, joined Emma Norris, IfG Deputy Director, to discuss how a Labour government would do net zero differently. This event was part of the IfG's Net Zero Conference. Tackling climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing governments across the world. With both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer pledging to hit ambitious emissions targets and make the UK a clean energy ‘superpower’, the net zero agenda will be a major issue at the next general election. So what needs to be done to switch the UK from being an economy powered by carbon to one that is near emissions free, and does the UK have a credible plan to hit its net zero targets? To explore these critical questions, and examine what government needs to do to meet its climate objectives, the Institute for Government brought together leading politicians and experts from the UK and beyond for a special net zero conference. The morning focused on whether the UK government has the right policies in place to cut emissions. And in the afternoon we examined government’s role in supporting green industries, following major subsidies announced by the US and the EU.

Tackling climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing governments across the world. With both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer pledging to hit ambitious emissions targets and make the UK a clean energy ‘superpower’, the net zero agenda will be a major issue at the next general election. So what needs to be done to switch the UK from being an economy powered by carbon to one that is near emissions free, and does the UK have a credible plan to hit its net zero targets? To explore these critical questions, and examine what government needs to do to meet its climate objectives, the Institute for Government brought together leading politicians and experts from the UK and beyond for a special net zero conference. The morning focused on whether the UK government has the right policies in place to cut emissions. And in the afternoon we examined government’s role in supporting green industries, following major subsidies announced by the US and the EU. At this session we explored whether the government has a robust plan for delivering net zero. Speakers included: David Joffe, Director of Analysis at the Climate Change Committee Guy Newey, Chief Executive of Energy Systems Catapult Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government Charlotte Warburton, Public Sector Sustainability & Climate Lead at Deloitte Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government (chair)

The Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP joined Dr Hannah White, IfG Director, to discuss his Independent Review of Net Zero. This event was part of the IfG's Net Zero Conference. Tackling climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing governments across the world. With both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer pledging to hit ambitious emissions targets and make the UK a clean energy ‘superpower’, the net zero agenda will be a major issue at the next general election. So what needs to be done to switch the UK from being an economy powered by carbon to one that is near emissions free, and does the UK have a credible plan to hit its net zero targets? To explore these critical questions, and examine what government needs to do to meet its climate objectives, the Institute for Government brought together leading politicians and experts from the UK and beyond for a special net zero conference. The morning focused on whether the UK government has the right policies in place to cut emissions. And in the afternoon we examined government’s role in supporting green industries, following major subsidies announced by the US and the EU.

Over many years Sajid Javid held some of the most senior roles in British government, serving as a secretary of state in six different departments under three different prime ministers – including as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary. Javid, who will stand down from parliament at the next election, is now a commissioner on the Institute for Government’s Centre Commission. At this ‘in conversation’ event he shared his experiences at the heart of government to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses at the centre and how they could be fixed. What are the biggest problems with the centre of government? What are the tensions between No.10 and the Treasury? How does the centre work with the rest of government? And how can the priorities of a prime minister best be delivered? To discuss these questions and more, Sajid Javid was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, followed by a Q&A. Follow us on Twitter @ifgevents and join the conversation using #IfGCentre. The Institute for Government’s Commission on the Centre of Government is looking at why No.10, the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury do not always work as well as they should and what could be done to radically improve the centre of UK government. The Centre Commission’s purpose is to produce concrete recommendations for a confident, proactive, coherently-structured centre of government equipped to meet the challenges and take the opportunities of the 21st century and deliver for the people of the UK. The Commission will report in February 2024.

Improving economic performance outside London and the South East is a core aim of the government’s levelling up agenda. Drawing on past IfG research, this event explored what policies, and policy approaches, would best support economic performance outside London and the South East and compare these with the government’s current policies. Our panel discussed: What policies would be most effective to achieve the government’s productivity mission and what should the government prioritise? What will the Sunak government do differently to the Johnson government and where can it make improvements? Are there lessons from the way other countries have attempted to level up? And how important are the economic aspects of levelling up, as opposed to other missions to increase pride in place and wellbeing? To explore these questions, the IfG brought together an expert panel including: Adam Hawksbee, Deputy Director at Onward Ruth Kelly, Chief Analyst at the National Audit Office Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Professor Bart Van Ark, Professor of Productivity Studies at the Alliance Manchester Business School, and Managing Director of The Productivity Institute at The University of Manchester The event was chaired by Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

Northern Ireland has had no ministers since October. The DUP is refusing to re-enter into power-sharing arrangements in protest over the Northern Ireland protocol; despite the new Windsor Framework agreement, the party has still not returned to Stormont. The Secretary of State has had to set a budget for Northern Ireland, and civil servants are obliged to make difficult decisions to balance the books. To discuss the ongoing governance challenges in Northern Ireland, reflect on the impact of the Windsor Framework, and set out the Northern Ireland Office’s approach to restoring power-sharing, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, the Northern Ireland Secretary, spoke at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government.

With the government taking the Covid inquiry to court to protect WhatsApp messages, the use of WhatsApp is in the spotlight. It has become fundamental to the way Westminster and Whitehall works – but is this way of communicating good for government? It has been reported that key decisions during the pandemic were taken in WhatsApp groups – made up of the prime minister and a handful of advisers. While some messages have been leaked, much of the content may never see the light of day – particularly with some users setting their messages to ‘disappear’ within days or even hours. So is WhatsApp changing the way decisions are made or is it just the 21st century equivalent of an informal conversation in a corridor, a bar, or on a phone? What can be done to ensure decisions taken on WhatsApp are shared and scrutinised? And how much has changed in government since the app was first launched? To discuss all this and more, the Institute for Government brought together an expert panel: Dr Alice Lilly, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Emily Walch, former special adviser to Vince Cable and Senior Counsel at Grayling Matt Warman MP, former Minister of State in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (appearing virtually) Henry Zeffman, Associate Political Editor at The Times This event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Sir Jon Thompson, Chief Executive of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and former permanent secretary at the Ministry of Defence and HMRC. Sir Jon has led the FRC – which oversees audit and corporate governance reform of the UK's largest companies – through a period of major transformation, and last year the FRC issued record fines, including for misconduct at KPMG following its audits of Regenersis and Carillion. Ahead of standing down from leading the FRC, Sir Jon reflected on his experience of being a regulator and the role that the audit watchdog plays. How far should regulation prevent corporate failures? What is the future of audit reform? And how can regulation keep pace with technological and social change? To discuss these questions and look ahead to some of the key challenges facing regulators in the UK, Sir Jon was in conversation with Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Sir Jon Thompson has been CEO of the FRC since 2019. He was appointed chair of High Speed Two in February 2023, and will leave the FRC later this year.

Special advisers ("SpAds") play a hugely important role in government, and successful ones are key to helping a minister achieve his or her priorities. The number of SpAds has more than doubled since 2010, but the job is not well understood by the public – or, in some cases, by special advisers themselves. So what do SpAds do on a day-to-day basis? How do they interact with ministers and the civil service? And what does it mean to be good at the job? Building on IfG research from 2020, this event will consider how the role has evolved over recent decades. What skills and capabilities are needed to be an effective SpAd? How should potential future SpAds approach the role? And how does the UK compare with other countries in the way its political advisers operate? To explore these questions, the IfG brought together an expert panel including: Sonia Khan, Associate Director at Cicero and former special adviser to Philip Hammond and Sajid Javid Jennifer Lees-Marshment, Associate Professor at the University of Auckland, focusing on the political adviser role in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand Liz Lloyd, former Chief of Staff to Nicola Sturgeon Baroness Sally Morgan, former Director of Government Relations for Tony Blair and Chair of Ofsted The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Westminster’s relationship with the UK’s nations and regions has changed radically over the last 25 years. Powers have been devolved, and new institutions in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been created. But does the UK’s constitution still work for these new arrangements or is reform needed? In Scotland, the question of independence looms large. In Northern Ireland, the future of power-sharing is in doubt. In Wales, there is growing interest in federalism. And in England, the pursuit of economic development is driving regional devolution. There are shared challenges too, including relationships with the central UK government and the lack of constitutional protection for devolved powers. This event – part of the IfG and the Bennett Institute Review of the UK constitution – brought together reflections from four roundtables held across the UK to discuss these issues, in partnership with the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace at Queen’s University Belfast, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies, and Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre. What are the shared constitutional issues facing devolution across the UK? How can the unique constitutional questions across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and England be addressed? And are there ways that the constitution could be improved? To explore these questions, the IfG brought together an expert panel including: Professor Jo Hunt, Professor of Law in the Cardiff School of Law and Politics and a member of the Wales Governance Centre Professor Nicola McEwen, Professor of Public Policy at the University of Glasgow Professor Andy Pike, Chair of Regional Development Studies at the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies Sir David Sterling, former Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service and Chair of the Chief Executives' Forum. This event was chaired by Jess Sargeant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government

The government’s Levelling Up the United Kingdom white paper contained ambitious proposals to deliver a devolution deal to every area of England that wants one by 2030, but the proliferation of regional authorities and directly elected mayors across England alongside different arrangements in the devolved nations can make co-operation and co-ordination difficult. This event considered what structures and ways of working could help support cross-government action on levelling up. How well have mayoral combined authorities (MCAs) worked with central government? Do mayoral combined authorities need a single point of contact in Whitehall or is it better to work directly with different departments? Have MCAs successfully encouraged cross-council working on levelling up? How can the UK government work more effectively with the devolved nations? To explore these questions, the IfG brought together an expert panel including: Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council Professor Francesca Gains, Professor of Public Policy at The University of Manchester Dr Jack Newman, Research Associate at The Productivity Institute and the Department of Politics at The University of Manchester Joe Rossiter, Policy and External Affairs Manager at the Institute of Welsh Affairs The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

In recent years, government has had to contend with multiple crises, from the Covid pandemic to major increases in energy costs. Ministers and civil servants have often had to work in crisis mode – making major policy decisions at speed, rapidly deploying staff, and developing new systems. But the potential for further crises looms large, especially given continued international instability. And government is still dealing with the lingering effects of previous shocks, particularly Covid, on key public services. This means that government must be ready for future shocks, while managing the impact of previous ones – and it must do all of this while continuing to deliver on day-to-day priorities. So how can government do this? What lessons should it learn from the experience of recent crises? Is it effectively identifying and managing risk, so that it stands ready to address future shocks? And what does government need to ensure that it can still make progress on its day-to-day priorities? To discuss these questions, the Institute for Government brought together: Alex Chisholm, Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary for the Cabinet Office Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, whose seventh Chair's Annual Report examining these themes will be published the morning of 6 June This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. Data Bites aims to change that. This event was the 43rd in our series, where the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Kris De Meyer, Science Communication Fellow at University College London, on turning climate change data into useful metrics Matt Lowe, Manager of FCA Innovation Lab, and Simran Singh, TechSprint Lead at FCA Innovation Lab, Financial Conduct Authority, on The Experimentation Wing of the Financial Conduct Authority: How the FCA’s Digital Sandbox and TechSprint initiatives enable the regulator to collaboratively explore and test out new technologies Teresa Soter, Senior Policy Adviser at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, on conducting a public dialogue on trust in digital identity services Liz Way, Senior Product Manager at NHS England, on the Secure Data Environment The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

Recent events in government, including the circumstances following Dominic Raab’s resignation as justice secretary, have at least on the surface deepened a divide between ministers and officials – and civil service morale has dropped as the strained relationship between ministers and officials deteriorates. With Raab complaining of “increasingly activist civil servants” and warning that it had become “almost impossible for ministers to deliver for the British people”, there have been increasing calls to give more powers to ministers to bring their political allies into Whitehall. So has civil service impartiality had its day? Is it time to allow more political appointments into civil service roles? What would this mean for the civil service’s ability to give good advice and effectively implement government policy? What other changes would help the civil service recruit people with the skills and specialisms that ministers want and the public need? And what else can be done to restore the fractured relationship between ministers and officials? To explore these questions, the IfG bought together an expert panel including: George Eustice, Conservative MP and former Environment Secretary Ayesha Hazarika, Times Radio presenter and a former civil servant and special adviser Lord O’Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First, a former adviser at 10 Downing Street and co-author of the Conservative Party's 2019 election manifesto This event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. Data Bites aims to change that. Our latest event, a justice special, was the 42nd in our series, where the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Karen Broadhurst, Professor of Social Work at Lancaster University Natalie Byrom, Director of Research at The Legal Education Foundation and Director of Justice Lab Amy Caldwell-Nichols, Deputy Director, Head of Insights & Analysis at HM Courts and Tribunal Service Lizzie Cook, Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology at the Violence and Society Centre at City, University of London The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank The Nuffield Foundation for kindly supporting this event.

The NHS spends over £30bn a year through procurement, on critical clinical services, medicines, equipment, IT, building maintenance, catering and cleaning. But does it spend this money well? During the pandemic questions were raised about value for money and transparency. With NHS England recently creating a new central commercial function to coordinate the work of the more than 4,000 staff working on NHS procurement and supply chain, how can the NHS make the most of its collective buying power and ensure money isn’t wasted? What lessons can be learned from NHS procurement during the pandemic? How can the NHS create more resilient supply chains? What role can procurement play in tackling health inequalities and the NHS’s commitment to reach net zero by 2045? And how can the NHS take advantage of the changes proposed in the Procurement Bill? To answer these questions, the Institute for Government convened an expert panel including: Jacqui Rock, Chief Commercial Officer at NHS England David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network Patrick Parkin, Partner at Burges Salmon Luella Trickett, Director, Value and Access at the Association of British HealthTech Industries The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

A commitment to level up the country was at the forefront of the Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto, but how much progress can the government make on its flagship agenda with no more than 18 months remaining until the next general election? Is substantial progress on regional inequalities possible over the next few years given the broader economic circumstances? And should this and future administrations prioritise specific aspects of the agenda, such as skills? This event, which took place shortly after the 2023 local elections were held, assessed what comes next for levelling up. To explore these questions and more, our expert panel included: Debbie Abrahams MP, Member of Parliament for Oldham East and Saddleworth Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice and Vice Dean of Humanities at The University of Manchester Jennifer Williams, Northern England Correspondent at the Financial Times The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

HM Treasury – the UK’s economics and finance ministry – played a crucial role in the government’s response to the Covid pandemic. While the crisis was fundamentally one of public health, shutting down the country saw the government pay the wages of around a third of the workforce and spend billions supporting businesses. So how successful were the Treasury’s policies and how well did it work with the rest of government? What lessons should the Treasury learn from its pandemic response? How can the department be better prepared to handle future crises? And what can be done to improve how the Treasury operates in normal times? This event presented and discussed the findings of a new report from the Institute for Government which examines how the Treasury implemented labour market and business finance support schemes, delivered an unprecedented amount of support to the country at incredible speed and under huge uncertainty, and worked with other government departments during the crisis. To explore these questions, the IfG brought together an expert panel including: Rushanara Ali MP, Member of the Treasury Select Committee Olly Bartrum, Senior Economist at the Institute for Government Prof Sir Charles Bean, former member of the Budget Responsibility Committee at the Office for Budget Responsibility (2017–21) Tracey Brown, Director of Sense about Science Sir Charles Roxburgh, former Second Permanent Secretary of HM Treasury (2016–22) The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. Data Bites aims to change that. This event was the 41st in our series, where the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This months speakers were: Sandrine Balley, Geographic Information Lead at the London Borough of Hackney, on how Hackney developed a webmap template to open up spatial data (and how you can use it too) Kathleen Caper, Head of Data Maturity and Governance at the Central Digital and Data Office, on Data Maturity Assessment for Government - more than a tool for the data function Dan Jeffery, Chief Information Security Officer and Deputy Chief Information Officer at NHS Blood and Transplant, on how NHSBT secure the supply of Blood, Organs, and Tissues services to the NHS from cyber threats Clara Clark Nevola, Group Manager (Technology) at the Information Commissioner’s Office, on Privacy Enhancing Technologies, how they relate to data protection requirements and how they can be used in practice The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The SNP has a new leader and Scotland has a new first minister. So what does the election of Humza Yousaf mean for the Scottish government – and for the role that the SNP plays in Westminster? What does the future of the relationship between the Westminster and Holyrood governments look like and what opportunities are there for the two governments to work together? How will the SNP make the case for independence under new leadership? To explore these questions, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s leader in Westminster, to give a keynote speech. The event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Our panel explored why successive governments have failed to address rising obesity and what would be needed to tackle it. We discussed which policies work, how to build support for them and the role of government in leading change. To explore these questions and more, our expert panel included: Henry Dimbleby, founder of Leon, former government adviser and author of Ravenous: how to get ourselves and our planet into shape Sophie Metcalfe, Researcher at the Institute for Government Dr Dolly Theis, Visiting Researcher at the Cambridge University MRC Epidemiology Unit The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

Do citizens understand – or even care about – how the UK constitution works and the role it plays in making government work for them? If they don’t, then what can be done to ensure that the constitution and constitutional change has public support and legitimacy? In this event, we explored the current state of public understanding of – and interest in – constitutional issues. We looked at good practice for citizen engagement. And we considered what can be done to cultivate an engaged and empowered citizenry for the future. This event was part of the IfG and Bennett Institute Review of the UK Constitution. To explore these questions, we assembled an expert panel including: Catherine McKinnell MP, Chair of the Petitions Committee Alan Renwick, Professor of Democratic Politics at University College London and Deputy Director of UCL's Constitution Unit Tatton Spiller, Founder of Simple Politics The event was chaired by Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. Data Bites aims to change that. Our latest event, the 40th in our series, was a justice special, where the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Dan Corry, Chief Executive of New Philanthropy Capital, on the work of the Justice Data Lab Toby Hayward-Butcher, Head of Strategy & Delivery, Better Outcomes through Linked Data (BOLD) Programme, on better supporting people with complex needs by linking and improving the government data held on them in a safe and secure way Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Anna Powell-Smith, Director of the Centre for Public Data, on data and statistical gaps in criminal justice. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

Generative AI – artificial intelligence that creates new content using machine learning algorithms – is improving rapidly. This has major implications for procurement, which accounts for around a third of government expenditure. Writing bids for contracts takes time, investment and resources, but by enabling suppliers to create bid text more quickly, generative AI will likely lead to more firms bidding for more contracts. This could lower barriers to entry for suppliers that may otherwise lack the resources to apply for government contracts, leading to more competition and better outcomes for government. But it is also likely to mean government having to process a larger volume of bids, and creates the risk of suppliers submitting more speculative bids due to the lower effort required. So what impact will reducing the bureaucratic burden of bid writing have on suppliers? Will this help government secure value for money through procurement? What can government do to prepare for a higher number of bids? And what are the possible downsides of the increased use of generative AI in the procurement process? To discuss these questions, the Institute for Government, gathered an expert panel including: Richard Allan, Member of the House of Lords Einav Ben-Yehuda, Chief Commercial Officer at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Sally Guyer, Global CEO of World Commerce and Contracting Kate Steadman, Group Strategy & Communications Director at Serco Sean Williams, Chief Executive of AutogenAI The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

We were delighted to welcome the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, to speak at the Institute for Government. Appointed as the Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) in 2018, Sir Patrick has been responsible for providing advice on topics as varied as artificial intelligence, emerging pandemic diseases and climate change – and was a regular presence at No.10’s televised press conferences throughout the Covid crisis. With his five-year fixed-term ending in the spring, Patrick looked back at his time as Government Chief Scientific Adviser and ahead to some of the science-related challenges facing government. How can the government make best use of scientific evidence? What more can be done to place science at the heart of government decision making? The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, with an opening address from Patrick followed by a Q&A.

After a tumultuous autumn for economic policy, and against a backdrop of high inflation and a cost of living crisis, Jeremy Hunt will deliver his first budget on 15 March. On the following day an IfG event featuring Richard Hughes, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility, assessed the chancellor’s statement. What does the budget reveal about this government’s approach to economic and fiscal policy? How will the economic and fiscal outlook shape the general election campaign? What do the government’s public spending plans look like – and are they plausible? And what are the strengths and weaknesses of the rules that help shape the government’s fiscal plans? To explore these questions and more, our expert panel included: Stephen Bush, Columnist and Associate Editor at the Financial Times Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, lead author of the Institute’s Performance Tracker of public services performance Richard Hughes, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

The UK’s homes and buildings are among the draughtiest in Europe, with successive governments struggling to design policies that boost energy efficiency. This failure has been brought into sharp focus as our reliance on fossil fuels has been exposed and energy bills hit record highs. So what does the government need to do to fix this problem? What gaps were there in last year’s Heat and Buildings Strategy and how should they be addressed? And what are the key barriers to accelerating the pace of housing upgrades and supporting a supply chain across the country to deliver these changes? To discuss these questions and more, our expert panel included: Gillian Charlesworth, Group CEO of BRE Rt Hon Philip Dunne MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee Kerry McCarthy MP, Shadow Minister for Climate Change Andrew Sissons, Deputy Director of Sustainable Future Mission at Nesta The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

For more than 50 years, the civil service has committed to being better at external recruitment. But it continues to fall short at attracting, retaining and properly using the knowledge and skills present in wider society. Little progress has been made on the recent pledge, contained within June 2021’s Declaration on Government Reform, to “establish new, appropriately and consistently managed, entry routes for professionals from outside government”. The civil service is suffering as a result. So what more could be done to bring external talent into the civil service – and why has the government’s approach failed to make a difference? Building on the Institute’s recent report on the topic, this important event will discuss why external recruitment is so important to an effective civil service and how to make it happen in practice. To discuss the above and more, our expert panel included: Katharine Braddick, Group Head of Strategic Policy and Adviser to the Group CEO at Barclays and former senior civil servant Jonathan Simons, Partner at Public First and former senior civil servant Rt Hon Baroness Gisela Stuart of Edgbaston, First Civil Service Commissioner Jordan Urban, Researcher at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Six years ago, the Institute for Government, Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Chartered Institute of Taxation published a joint report on Better Budgets: making tax policy better. Based on extensive interviews with tax policy stakeholders, the report concluded that the tax policy-making process was seriously flawed and that – to reduce taxpayer confusion, cut down costly errors and avoid embarrassing U-turns – the government should overhaul how it makes tax and budget decisions. Six years on from the report, and as chancellor Jeremy Hunt prepares to present his first budget following a tumultuous autumn for tax policy, this event will look back on the conclusions we reached and the recommendations we made. Did our report identify the right problems and solutions? Have there been any improvements in tax policymaking since then? And have any new problems or unexpected solutions appeared? To discuss these questions and more, our expert panel will include: Bill Dodwell, Outgoing Tax Director at the Office of Tax Simplification and former CIOT President Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Sir Edward Troup, Tax and Tax Policy Commentator and former HMRC Permanent Secretary The event is chaired by Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

Ombuds schemes enable citizens to complain about the service they receive – and in the case of public services they play a crucial role in the balance of power between citizen and state. They hold government, the NHS, councils and other public bodies to account when their failings harm people – both resolving individual cases and informing public service improvement and reform.  However, the public service Ombuds system in England is hamstrung by outdated powers and organisational structures, and has fallen behind systems in the devolved nations and other modern democracies.   So how could Ombuds schemes be reformed? What are the options for reform? And why has it been so hard to achieve progress? One proposal is to establish a new Public Service Ombudsman (PSO) to bring together the jurisdictions of existing public service Ombuds schemes, but a bill drafted in 2016 was never passed.  To discuss potential next steps for Ombuds reform, the Institute for Government was delighted to host an expert panel including: Rosemary Agnew, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Rob Behrens CBE, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, former Chair, Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Sandra Verkuyten OBE, Former CEO of the Hearing Aid Council Patrick Vernon OBE, Social Commentator and Campaigner The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. Data Bites aims to change that. Our latest event, the 39th in our series, was a health special, where the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Elliot Bridges, Senior Data and Insights Analyst at Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, on trends in egg, sperm and embryo donation and their implications Sarah Deeny, Deputy Director, Analytics at the UK Health Security Agency, on how the use of data and forecasting during the pandemic can help us protect the NHS and the public during the winter Valentina Sassow, Deployment Strategist at Palantir Technologies, on Palantir's work on cancer pathways Becky Taylor, Director of Transformation and Quality Improvement at University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, on building the future of integrated care at Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The centre of government does not function as well as it needs to. Successive prime ministers have complained of ‘rubber levers’ and reflected that the nature of the government machine can make it difficult to deliver their priorities. The last three premierships have not been helped, and sometimes have been hindered, by the failings of No.10, the Cabinet Office and Treasury. The civil service is not working as well as it should and Brexit and Covid in particular exposed deep problems with the whole of the government machine. But what exactly are these problems? Why have they not been solved? And what could be done to radically improve how the centre works? To launch a major new programme of work, we brought together an expert panel to discuss the current state of the centre and suggest how it could be reformed and improved. Our panellists were: Lord Robin Butler, Cabinet Secretary 1988-98 Baroness Simone Finn, Downing Street deputy chief of staff 2021–22 Peter Hill, former principal private secretary to the prime minister (2017-19) and CEO of COP 26 The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government and Sir Anthony Seldon, author, political commentator and historian.

The pressures on public services have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Recruitment and retention of staff is a growing problem, with widespread strikes, backlogs have increased and the public are waiting longer to access support. So what was the pandemic’s impact on spending, staff, and service performance? What does rising inflation mean for public service spending? And what impact will the spending announced in the autumn statement have on public services? As the Institute for Government and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy published new analysis on the performance of public services, Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, presented the key findings. He was joined by Stephen Morgan MP, Shadow Minister for Schools, and Aileen Murphie, Honorary Professor at Durham University Business School and Specialist Adviser to the Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Select Committee. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government, with opening remarks by Jeffrey Matsu, Chief Economist at CIPFA. We would like to thank the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) for partnering with us on this event. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/spring-budget-public-services

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome the Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper MP. In a major speech, the Shadow Home Secretary set out the ways in which a Labour government would take a different approach to law and order and outlined her priorities for the Home Office should Labour win the next general election. In one of a series of speeches setting out Labour’s home affairs policies, the Shadow Home Secretary's speech at the IfG saw her discuss Labour’s plan to rebuild neighbourhood policing and reverse the collapse in charges and prosecutions over the last 13 years. Following her speech, Yvette Cooper was in conversation with IfG director Dr Hannah White. Yvette Cooper has been the Member of Parliament for Normanton, Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley since 1997. Before her appointment as Shadow Home Secretary, she served as Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee. In Government, she served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Housing Minister. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/yvette-cooper-shadow-home-secretary

Sharing data across and beyond the public sector was critical to the government’s pandemic response. From providing vital information needed by leaders to make big decisions to standing up new services drawing on a range of data sources to serve citizens, data was used at the heart of government like never before. We discussed how to maintain this ‘high watermark’ in data use, drawing on various pandemic case studies to highlight lessons and best practice behaviour to continue into the future. The event picked up on different themes from a upcoming IfG report, Data sharing during the pandemic, including: What data sharing lessons should government learn? What are the benefits of existing rules and legislation for enabling data sharing? How do multidisciplinary teams contribute to data sharing success? What qualities, skills and experience do data-literate leaders require? What steps can be taken to reduce the perceived risks of data sharing? The panel, who represented different themes contained in the report Data sharing during the pandemic, were: Jess McEvoy, Principal Consultant at Scott Logic Paul Shepley, Data Scientist at the Institute for Government Ming Tang, National Director of Data and Analytics for NHS England and Improvement Juliet Whitworth, Head of Research and Information at the Local Government Association The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The Levelling Up the United Kingdom white paper, published in February 2022, was meant to provide the Johnson government’s flagship domestic policy. Containing 12 missions and pledging a ‘rewiring of Whitehall’, ministers heralded the white paper as a blueprint for a radical overhaul of the UK’s governance and economic geography. While Boris Johnson is no longer in post, prime minister Rishi Sunak has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to levelling up. But one year on from the levelling up white paper’s publication, how much progress has been achieved against its ambitions? What do the UK’s economic challenges mean for the levelling up agenda? And what more does the government need to do to reduce regional inequalities? To discuss these questions and more, our expert panel included: Councillor Abi Brown, Leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council Anneliese Dodds MP, Chair of the Labour Party and Labour Policy Review Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at The University of Manchester Councillor Jane Mudd, Vice-Chair of the Western Gateway Partnership and Leader of Newport City Council The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. Data Bites aims to change that. Our latest event, the 38th in our series was a defence special where the speakers will present their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker has eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Cameron Douglas, Engineering and Logistics Defence Lead at Palantir Technologies, on how to maintain vital control over sensitive data Ben Holloway, Head of Royal Navy Digital Anna Knack, Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Emerging Technology and Security, The Alan Turing Institute, on their new report, Human-Machine Teaming in Intelligence Analysis Commander Sue Seagrave, Data Sheriff for Royal Navy Project Renown, on growing the ‘data posse’ to improve Royal Navy ship availability The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to launch its tenth edition of Whitehall Monitor – our annual, data-driven assessment of the UK civil service, how it has changed and performed, and its priorities for the future. How did the civil service deal with the partygate affair? What is the impact of disputes over pay and the workforce? And how have officials coped with two changes of prime minister and record-breaking levels of ministerial turnover? As well as assessing the challenges of the last year, the report looks ahead to the civil service’s priorities in 2023. How can departments manage increasingly tight budgets? What are the next steps for government reform agenda? And given the political turmoil and shock events of 2022, how can the civil service improve its ability to manage the long-term capability of government? Rhys Clyne, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government, presented the findings of this year’s Whitehall Monitor and was joined on the panel by: Dame Una O'Brien, former Permanent Secretary in the Department of Health Chris Smyth, Whitehall Editor of The Times Sally Warren, Director of Policy at The King’s Fund This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government has launched IfG Academy to give ministers, civil servants and people working in and around government the knowledge and skills they need to improve government effectiveness. There is currently little in the way of formal training for people who take on government roles. From first-time ministers to those promoted to cabinet, and from non-executive directors to special advisers, many people in government are expected to learn on the job. There is not much in the way of support to help people get up to speed, learn the inner workings of Whitehall and develop in their role. So what more could be done to change the culture and practice of support for those in government? Why has it been so difficult to reform the current approach? And how is IfG Academy going to fill the gap? To discuss these questions and more, the IfG brought together an expert panel including: Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government David Gauke, former Secretary of State for Justice, and former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Philip Rycroft, former Permanent Secretary at the Department for Exiting the European Union Salma Shah, Partner at Portland Communications, former special adviser to Sajid Javid The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. Data Bites aims to change that. Our latest event, the 37th in our series, was a social mobility special. The Social Mobility Commission presented its new report on data gaps across government and the impact that has on its work, complemented by other speakers on social mobility and missing data. Each speaker has eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Oliver Anderson, Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) Strategic Analysis Lead at the Department for Education, on post-16 education and labour market activities and outcomes Alun Francis OBE, Interim Chair of the Social Mobility Commission (SMC) and Principal and Chief Executive of Oldham College, on the SMC's recently published data gaps report Michael Pandazis, Head of Evidence for the Social Mobility Commission, on the data gaps impacting the SMC's annual State of the Nation report Anna Powell-Smith, Director of the Centre for Public Data, with an update on their Missing Numbers work. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem’s Chief Executive Officer, for a briefing on the energy market, energy bills and a look ahead to what the coming year will mean for consumers across the UK. The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, with an opening address from Jonathan Brearley followed by a Q&A. Ofgem is the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets. It is a non-ministerial government department and an independent National Regulatory Authority. Jonathan Brearley became Ofgem's Chief Executive Officer on 3 February 2020. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/jonathan-brearley-ofgem

The Institute for Government hosted its inaugural annual conference, to look at the key questions facing government in 2023. After a tumultuous 2022, which saw three prime ministers, war in Europe and an unprecedented cost of living crisis, the Institute brought together influential speakers and IfG experts to share ideas, stimulate new thinking and discuss what we should expect from government in the coming year. This session was a live recording of the IfG’s weekly podcast. Speakers: Dan Snow, Historian, author, TV presenter and host of the HistoryHit podcast Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government hosted its inaugural annual conference, to look at the key questions facing government in 2023. After a tumultuous 2022, which saw three prime ministers, war in Europe and an unprecedented cost of living crisis, the Institute brought together influential speakers and IfG experts to share ideas, stimulate new thinking and discuss what we should expect from government in the coming year. Speakers included: Councillor Ben Bradley MP, Member of Parliament for Mansfield and Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council Jamie Driscoll, Mayor of the North of Tyne Seb Payne, Director of Onward Jennifer Williams, Northern England correspondent at the Financial Times This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government hosted its inaugural annual conference, to look at the key questions facing government in 2023. After a tumultuous 2022, which saw three prime ministers, war in Europe and an unprecedented cost of living crisis, the Institute brought together influential speakers and IfG experts to share ideas, stimulate new thinking and discuss what we should expect from government in the coming year. This session was a keynote speech by Lisa Nandy MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. After her speech, Lisa Nandy was in conversation with Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government, and took questions from the audience.

The Institute for Government hosted its inaugural annual conference, to look at the key questions facing government in 2023. After a tumultuous 2022, which saw three prime ministers, war in Europe and an unprecedented cost of living crisis, the Institute brought together influential speakers and IfG experts to share ideas, stimulate new thinking and discuss what we should expect from government in the coming year. This session was an IfG expert briefing. Speakers included: Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This session was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government hosted its inaugural annual conference, to look at the key questions facing government in 2023. After a tumultuous 2022, which saw three prime ministers, war in Europe and an unprecedented cost of living crisis, the Institute brought together influential speakers and IfG experts to share ideas, stimulate new thinking and discuss what we should expect from government in the coming year. This session was a keynote speech by Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP, Leader of the House of Commons. After her speech, Penny Mordaunt was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director at the Institute for Government, and took questions from the audience.

The Institute for Government hosted its inaugural annual conference, to look at the key questions facing government in 2023. After a tumultuous 2022, which saw three prime ministers, war in Europe and an unprecedented cost of living crisis, the Institute brought together influential speakers and IfG experts to share ideas, stimulate new thinking and discuss what we should expect from government in the coming year. This second session discussed whether the civil service needed to reset, regroup or reform in 2023. Speakers: Stephen Bush, Associate Editor and columnist at the Financial Times Munira Mirza, former Head of No.10 Policy Unit, and Chief Executive of Civic Future Antonia Romeo, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice This session was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government hosted its inaugural annual conference, to look at the key questions facing government in 2023. After a tumultuous 2022, which saw three prime ministers, war in Europe and an unprecedented cost of living crisis, the Institute brought together influential speakers and IfG experts to share ideas, stimulate new thinking and discuss what we should expect from government in the coming year. This first session included an introduction from Dr Hannah White OBE, IfG Director, and Government 2023: the challenges of the year ahead. In her introduction to the conference, Hannah set out the Institute’s priorities for 2023 and explained how the IfG is working to make government more effective. Plus opening remarks from Grant Thornton UK. Speakers included: Sam Freedman, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Ayesha Hazarika, Times Radio presenter and former Labour adviser Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Rt Hon Chloe Smith MP, Member of Parliament for Norwich North

Identifying, attracting, developing and deploying the right skills across the public sector workforce is critical to the success of all governments. But the civil service still has trouble planning the skills it requires, understanding the skills its officials already have, and developing the right skills and knowledge in the right places. In 2021, the Johnson administration’s Declaration on Government Reform described plans to “invest in training to equip our people with the skills and knowledge they need to tackle the challenges of the future”. As restrained public spending raises questions over whether and how skills reform and provision will be resourced in future years, the panel will discuss what civil servants’ and ministers’ priorities should be for improving the skills moving forward. This event, supported by Workday, convened an expert panel to discuss the progress made, and lessons learned, on government skills in recent years: Zamila Bunglawala, former International Director at the Department for Education Richard Doherty, Senior Director at Workday Pamela Dow, former Executive Director of the Government Skills and Curriculum Unit Nancy Hey, Executive Director of What Works Centre for Wellbeing This event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGcivilservice We would like to thank Workday for kindly supporting this event.

Both the Covid pandemic and recent extreme weather events, such as Storm Arwen-Franklin and the summer heatwaves, exposed flaws with the way the UK government prepares for long-term risks as well as vulnerabilities in communities and public services hit by crisis. The Covid Inquiry has begun to examine how the UK could be better prepared for future pandemics, while the government is in final stages of developing a new National Resilience Strategy. But what lessons should be learned from the pandemic? What should be at the forefront of the new government strategy? And what steps could the government take to boost the UK's resilience? To discuss how the UK can be better prepared for long-term risks, the Institute for Government was delighted to host an expert panel including: Mike Adamson, Chief Executive of the British Red Cross Fleur Anderson MP, Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Sophie Dannreuther, Director of the Centre for Long-Term Resilience Rt Hon Sir Oliver Letwin, former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster This event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

The House of Lords is back in the spotlight. Boris Johnson’s resignation honours have reignited debates about the appointment process and the ability of politicians to hand life peerages to their friends, supporters and donors. Key figures across Westminster have called for stronger independent oversight of the appointment process. Labour Leader Keir Starmer has gone further, committing to replacing the House of Lords with an elected chamber if he wins the next general election, informed by the work of former prime minister Gordon Brown’s constitutional commission. However, as past governments have discovered, how to reform the second chamber is the cause of intense disagreement. Who should replace the current membership? What should be the role of a second chamber? What are the risks involved in embarking on major constitutional change – and are the knock-on impacts clearly understood? This event – part of the IfG Bennett Institute Review of the UK Constitution – will explore current proposals for reforming the House of Lords, including the newly-published Brown review, and consider how reform could be achieved. Matthew Hanney, former Special Adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society Lord Norton of Louth, Conservative Peer and Professor of Government at the University of Hull Sarah Sackman, Commissioner, Brown Commission, Labour candidate for Finchley and Golders Green The was chaired by Jess Sargeant,Senior Researcher, Institute for Government. #IfGLordsReform

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve.   At our latest event, the 36th in our series, where the speakers will present their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker has eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience.   December's speakers were:  Ishraq Irteza, Deployment Strategist at Palantir Technologies, on the use of data in the Homes for Ukraine scheme Chris Pope, Principal for Research covering Digital, and Information Strategy at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on data for local areas Tom Smith, Director of the Spatial Data Unit and Chief Data Officer, at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on data for levelling up Liz Zeidler, Chief Executive, at the Centre for Thriving Places The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Palantir for kindly supporting this event.

The UK is one of the most centralised advanced economies, and there is widespread agreement that further devolution is necessary if the economic performance of regions outside of London and the south east is to be improved. The Levelling Up the United Kingdom white paper contained ambitious devolution proposals, including the commitment that by 2030 “every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal with powers at or approaching the highest level of devolution and a simplified long-term funding settlement”. It also contains a devolution framework which clarifies the powers available to local areas depending on the governance model adopted. However, devolution invariably brings trade-offs; it takes a certain capacity to deliver interventions correctly, these might increase costs by adding another layer of administration, and undermine efforts to produce a nationally consistent approach. This event will discuss what powers should be devolved for local areas to play their part in boosting regional growth to deliver on the government’s levelling up agenda. The event considered the following key questions: What should be the priority policy areas and powers to devolve? In which areas will the benefits be greater? What is the right level of geography to devolve powers to within England? Are combined authorities the right level? Should the powers devolved vary across the country or be ‘one size fits all’? How can the government ensure it is empowering rather than hindering subnational governments in its approach to boosting regional growth? Following opening remarks delivered by Robert Breedon, partner at Gowling WLG, our panel will included: Cllr. Brigid Jones, Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council Prof. Neil Lee, Professor of Economic Geography at the London School of Economics John Wrathmell, Director of Strategy, Research & Economy at Greater Manchester Combined Authority The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. #IfGlevellingup We would like to thank Gowling WLG for kindly supporting this event.

What can be done to create a nation that is better adapted and resilient to the changing climate? How does climate adaptation and resilience support a growing economy? And what can be done to ensure this generation is the first to leave the environment in a better state than we found it? From responding to flood risk to managing industry and waste, the Environment Agency is at the heart of all these questions. In a keynote address at the IfG, Sir James Bevan discussed the bold action needed to meet current and future environmental challenges faced by the UK. The chief executive of the Environment Agency, the UK’s environment regulator, Sir James also discuss the agency’s work in tackling flooding, drought, sea level rise and coastal, and how he believes the UK can become a nation that is resilient to climate change while encouraging green growth and a sustainable future. After his speech, Sir James was in conversation with Dr Hannah White, Director at the Institute for Government, and took questions from the audience. #IfGclimate Sir James Bevan joined the Environment Agency (EA) as Chief Executive in late November 2015. His previous roles include UK High Commissioner to India, Chief Operating Officer at the UK Foreign Office, and Visiting Fellow, Center for International Affairs, Harvard. He has also held a number of senior posts in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office including posts in Washington, Paris and Brussels

The government’s ability to quickly and effectively procure goods and services was a critical part of the UK’s response to coronavirus. Whether goods like PPE or services such as testing facilities, the government handed out large contracts, often to new suppliers, at greater speed and with less competition than normal. The government was faced with difficult choices, and no easy options, raising questions about the decisions made and improvements that could be made in the future. At this event, an expert panel discussed: How effective were government changes to procurement guidance? Did the government strike the right balance between urgency and due process? What lessons can be learned from the success of the approach to procurement taken by the Vaccine Taskforce? How can the lessons from the pandemic be applied to future crises and the government’s Procurement Bill? To discuss these issues we were joined by: Sarah Ashley, Partner at Baringa Steve Bates, Chief Executive Officer of BioIndustry Association and former member of the Vaccine Taskforce Gareth Rhys Williams, Government Chief Commercial Officer This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGprocurement We would like to thank Baringa for supporting this event.

There are well over 300 public bodies in the UK, ranging from NHS England to small advisory bodies. Government has announced plans to create several new public bodies in the coming years, including the Future Systems Operator, the Office for Local Government and Great British Railways. However, while there are strict guidelines on the circumstances in which a body can be created, there is less guidance on how to establish one effectively. This event explored how new bodies can establish effective operations and a strong reputation in their sector, to ensure they stand the test of time and are respected by new administrations. It brought together practitioners and experts on public bodies, particularly economic and trade bodies, to discuss the lessons from their experience of setting up new public bodies: Oliver Griffiths, CEO of the Trade Remedies Authority Sian Jones, Value for Money Director at the National Audit Office Alex Massey, Partner in Deloitte’s human capital practice Kate McGavin, Policy Director at the UK Infrastructure Bank Ceri Smith, Director General at the Department for International Trade This event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Trade Remedies Authority and Deloitte for kindly supporting this event.

Following a turbulent two months in politics, policy and financial markets, on 17 November Jeremy Hunt presented the government’s autumn statement, alongside a new set of fiscal and economic forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The following day the IfG hosted an event to react to the chancellor’s statement. We were delighted that to be joined by Ben Chu, Economics Editor at BBC Newsnight, and Richard Hughes, Chair of the OBR, to discuss: What the new forecasts reveal about the outlook for the government, households and public services. What choices has Rishi Sunak made to help restore fiscal sustainability and credibility? Has it worked and will the government be able to deliver it all? What have the events of the past two months taught us about the importance and strength of the institutions at the heart of fiscal policy making – including the relationship between the OBR, the Treasury and ministers? Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, and Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government, will also join Richard to discuss the prime minister's fiscal plans drawing on the 2022 edition of the IfG and CIPFA Performance Tracker. Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, chaired the panel. #IfGautumnstatement We would like to thank CIPFA for kindly supporting this event

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome John Edwards, the UK Information Commissioner. He was in conversation with the Institute’s Director of Research Emma Norris. Proper use of public data is key for maintaining trust in public bodies, as well as ensuring that government services run well. As the UK's independent data protection watchdog, the ICO is at the heart of discussions over data use and how to find the balance between privacy and transparency. So what steps can be taken to improve government transparency over data? Is it time to reassess how the UK’s Freedom of Information laws work? What will be the impact of the Online Safety Bill – and what changes will the government be introducing to this much talked about piece of legislation? John Edwards discussed his strategic priorities as Information Commissioner, the challenges faced by the ICO, and ICO25, the ICO’s new strategic plan. John Edwards was appointed as the UK’s sixth Information Commissioner last December, and began his role at the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in January. He previously spent eight years as New Zealand Privacy Commissioner.

The protection of people’s rights and liberties is a key part of the UK’s constitution, dating all the way back to the twelfth century. In recent years, and with the Covid pandemic seeing unprecedented restrictions on people’s everyday lives, the debate about what rights should be protected – and how – has been reignited. The government has confirmed that it will bring back the British Bill of Rights, but it is likely to face challenges from politicians of all parties – some of whom think it goes too far, and others who think it does not far enough. So does the government need to reform how people’s rights are protected in the UK? What questions have been raised about the right to protest after the focus on how the public could show dissent during King Charles III’s accession? And what role should international institutions play in upholding human rights? Panellists: Rt Hon Baroness Chakrabarti CBE, former Shadow Attorney General Estelle Dehon KC, Public Law Barrister at Cornerstone Barristers Lord Faulks KC, former Minister of State for Justice Professor Colm O’Cinneide, Professor of Human Rights Law at UCL This event was chaired by Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. #IfGhumanrights We would like to thank Cornerstone Barristers for kindly supporting this event.

To try to help fill a black hole in the public finances, Jeremy Hunt has asked government departments to outline ways that they could cut spending. This is just the latest in a long line of governments that have attempted to get greater value for money from public spending. There have been repeated attempts to focus on the outputs and outcomes achieved, rather than just the money going in. But the most enduring and tenacious approach has been a Treasury focus on keeping control of the purse strings, rather than monitoring and holding departments to account for the outputs and outcomes they achieve. Drawing on the findings of a major research programme led by Professor Christopher Hood and funded by the Nuffield Foundation assessing the operation of public expenditure control in the UK between 1993 and 2015, the Institute for Government was delighted to host this event to discuss what can be learned from the success and failure of efforts at spending control in the UK over the past three decades and lessons from abroad. Our panel included: Professor Niamh Hardiman, Professor in Political Science and Public Policy at UCD SPIRe Professor Christopher Hood, Visiting Professor at the Blavatnik School of Government Professor David Richards, Professor of Public Policy at the University of Manchester Dame Sharon White, Chair of the John Lewis Partnership, former Chief Executive of Ofcom and Second Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. #IfGpublicspending We would like to thank Nuffield Foundation for kindly supporting this event.

The public appointments system struggles to appoint candidates in a timely and efficient way. It has been dogged by controversy in recent years, from media speculation over the appointment of new chairs of Ofcom and the BBC to delays at the Charity Commission and the Competition and Markets Authority. Politicians, officials, candidates and the public have expressed frustration with the process. The Institute for Government’s report, Reforming Public Appointments, proposes a package of reforms including clearer data on the causes of delays, fewer ministerial decision points, and an expansion of regulation to include more roles. Our panel explored what the purpose of the public appointments system is, how well it is working now and what reforms might be needed: Lord Jonathan Evans, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life and former Director General of the UK Security Service Baroness Simone Finn, Former Deputy Chief of Staff at Number 10 Sue Gray, Second Permanent Secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, Chair of the Liaison Committee and former Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee William Shawcross CVO, Commissioner for Public Appointments This event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve.   At this month's event, the 35th in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience.   This month's speakers were:  Carlos Ahumada, Public Policy Manager Data for Good at Meta, on Meta’s support to crisis response and policymaking through innovative data-based tools Niovi Karathodorou, Senior Data Scientist at the Office for National Statistics Data Science Campus Dr Alan Roberts, Head of Emerging Risks in the Cabinet Office, on blending data analysis with expert judgement to build a country stability index Donna Lyndsay, Strategic Market Lead – Environment & Sustainability at Ordnance Survey The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. Find out more about Data Bites: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/data-bites

An IfG expert briefing on the challenges facing the new PM Rishi Sunak has vowed to “fix” the mistakes made by his short-lived predecessor in No.10. But this country’s third prime minister in just over two months has inherited a daunting in-tray – and a party still reeling from the resignation of Boris Johnson, the fraught leadership contest that followed, and the 49 days of Liz Truss’s chaotic government. So how can Sunak lead a government which, in his words, displays “integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level”? How will the November 17 fiscal plan announcement define the former chancellor’s spending priorities and his vision for the economy? And what steps can he take to unite his party and fix the damage done by the Truss and Johnson premierships? We held an expert IfG briefing on the challenges which face the new prime minister. With: Sam Freedman, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government.

David Halpern, the ‘What Works’ National Adviser since 2013 and chief executive of the Behavioural Insights Team, has spent nearly a decade advising ministers and other leaders in government on using evidence to make better policy. As his term as national adviser comes to an end he spoke at the Institute for Government to look back at the successes, failures and future prospects for doing ‘what works’ and how it should continue to inform government practice and policy. Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and head of the civil service policy profession, joined David to reflect on good policy making, with Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government chairing the event. #IfGWhatWorks

From u-turning on budgets to sacking chancellors, spooking the markets and seeing borrowing rates climb, it has been a dramatic, chaotic and, for many people, painful start to Liz Truss’s time as prime minister. What mistakes were made in the transition between Boris Johnson’s No.10 and Truss’s administration? Why were Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng so quick to disregard the value of institutions and experience in government? How should a prime minister change course when things go wrong? And what can Jeremy Hunt do as the new chancellor to restore faith in this government’s handling of the economy? As Truss attempts to calm the markets, the public and her party, the IfG’s new director Dr Hannah White brought together an expert IfG panel to examine where the prime minister went wrong and explore the lessons that should be learned from her first 40 days in No.10 for future incoming administrations. With Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government #IfGTruss

Scotland’s place in the union hangs in the balance. The Supreme Court is set to decide whether Nicola Sturgeon can hold her proposed 2023 independence referendum. If the verdict goes against the SNP, then Sturgeon’s Plan B is to place independence at the heart of the next general election campaign. The UK government is determined to prevent a rerun of the 2014 vote, while Labour is developing plans for further devolution and wider constitutional reform. Opinion polls reveal a nation split down the middle on independence. So what will the Supreme Court’s verdict mean? Where does the debate on independence go next? And what alternative constitutional scenarios could unfold in Scotland’s future? On the day after the Supreme Court hearing, the Institute for Government hosted an event to discuss the court case, the legal and constitutional principles at stake, and explore how Scotland can move towards a stable future – inside or outside the union. Our expert panel: Professor Aileen McHarg, Professor of Public Law and Human Rights at Durham Law School Rt Hon Jim Murphy, former Secretary of State for Scotland and former Leader of the Scottish Labour Party Stephen Noon, former Senior Policy Adviser to the First Minister of Scotland and strategist for Yes Scotland in the 2014 independence referendum Professor Adam Tomkins, John Millar Chair of Public Law at the University of Glasgow and former Scottish Conservative MSP The event will be chaired by Akash Paun, Senior Fellow of the Institute for Government. #IfGScotland

It is 15 years since former home secretary John Reid reportedly described the Home Office as ‘not fit for purpose”. So what is the verdict in 2022? Just four years ago the Windrush scandal exposed systemic problems in the Home Office’s handling of immigration and citizenship, the way policies were made and the culture of the department. And since then the Home Office has continued to make headlines – and not always in a good way. Recent years have seen the department implement a new immigration system following the UK’s departure from the EU, respond to scandals over police competence and culture, fall out with the Mayor of London over the leadership of the Met Police and, more recently, spark a fierce debate over its plans to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda. So, with Suella Braverman’s appointment as the fifth home secretary since the start of 2016, how well is the Home Office actually functioning? Does it have a coherent set of responsibilities or is it time to create a separate department for immigration? Has the split of homeland security and justice – with the 2007 creation of the Ministry of Justice – been a success? And what progress has been made since the Windrush scandal? To discuss all this we were joined by: Samuel Coates, Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and former Special Advisor (Policy) at the Home Office Amelia Gentleman, reporter at the Guardian and author of the Windrush Betrayal Sir Philip Rutnam, former Permanent Secretary of the Home Office Enver Solomon, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, senior fellow at the Institute for Government. Get involved and join the conversation using the hashtag #IfGHomeOffice

Liz Truss has made economic growth a priority. And innovation – new ideas, technologies and processes – is an important driver of growth. But the UK performs much less R&D than many other advanced economies. So how can government policy best support innovation in the private sector and drive levelling up? Speakers: George Freeman MP, former Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Adam Bennett, Client Director for Central Government at Costain Ed Cox, Executive Director for Strategy, Integration and Net Zero at West Midlands Combined Authority Rain Newton-Smith, Chief Economist and member of the Executive Committee at the Confederation of British Industry This event was chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government. The event took place at the 2022 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 34th in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. Our speakers were: Dr Mark Thompson, Director at Cabinet Office, Government Business Services on how the organisation is utilising data insights to transform the civil service Catherine Hope, Statistician at the Department for Work and Pensions and Chair of the Presentation Group, Government Statistical Service (GSS), on the GSS's new dashboards guidance Paul Maltby, Chief Digital Officer, and Paul Downey, Head of Digital Land, at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on 'planning.data.gov' and a digital perspective on planning reform Aleks Bobrowska, Data Scientist at the Department for Work and Pensions, on getting the right ecosystem in place for embedding analytics in a service design/build context. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. #IfGDataBites34

There are plans to join up data across government services, websites and platforms, and use data in assessing and evaluating how public services are performing. The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, making its way through parliament, is just one of many initiatives. But there are risks, as well as opportunities, in linking data held on citizens. So how can government ensure the public benefits from the use of their data through better public services? Speakers: Aaron Bell MP, Interim Co-Chair of the Science and Technology Select Committee Matthew Feeney, Head of Technology and Innovation at the Centre for Policy Studies Daniel Rix-Standing, Investment Director at the Bright Initiative by Bright Data Dr Mahlet Zimeta, Head of Public Policy at the Open Data Institute This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. This event took place at the 2022 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

The chancellor’s new Growth Plan signals a change of course in the government’s economic and fiscal strategy, raising questions over where levelling up fits into the new administration’s strategy. Is the government still committed to narrowing the gap between richer and poorer regions, in terms of productivity, skills and jobs? What measures should it use to assess progress? How should it report on performance and keep all parts of government focused on this objective? Does Whitehall have the necessary local knowledge and data to guide effective decision making? Speakers: Jack Brereton MP, Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent South Councillor Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Ben Wilson, Vice-President, Public Policy, Europe at Mastercard This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. This event took place at the 2022 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

What should the new prime minister prioritise on the NHS and social care? In light of the major challenges facing the NHS and social care, many of which predated the pandemic, we heard from health experts, including: Marco Longhi MP, Member of the Health and Social Care Select Committee Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research and REAL Centre at the Health Foundation Danny Mortimer, Deputy Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event took place at the 2022 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

Inadequate transport infrastructure has been blamed as a key contributor to poor economic performance outside of London and the South East, and transport policy is a key lever that national and local government can pull to deliver levelling up. We discussed the role of transport to promote regional growth, whether the government’s current approach is the right one and how infrastructure spending can best be targeted to generate large returns in the regions. Speakers: Andrew Jones MP, Chair of the Transport for the North APPG and former Transport Minister Adam Hawksbee, Deputy Director and Head of Levelling Up at Onward Will McWilliams, Partner, Head of Public Services Advisory at Grant Thornton UK LLP Laura Shoaf, Chief Executive Officer at the West Midlands Combined Authority and Chair of the Urban Transport Group This event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event took place at the 2022 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

Boris Johnson’s tenure as prime minister was marked by a series of ethical scandals which ultimately led to his resignation. His successor, Liz Truss, has put an emphasis on her judgment about what is right and wrong, downplaying the importance of the institutions, advisers and rules that her predecessors put in place to help guide their governments. But with public trust in politicians as low as it has ever been, what should she be doing to build public trust in her administration and the government it leads? Speakers: Rt Hon Jeremy Wright KC MP, Member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life Daniel Bruce, Chief Executive of Transparency International UK Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government Dr Susan Hawley, Executive Director of Spotlight on Corruption Dave Penman, General Secretary at the FDA This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Acting Director of the Institute for Government. This event took place at the 2022 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

Government cannot do levelling up alone, and an ambitious agenda to change the UK’s economic geography will be reliant on the private and third sectors. So how can how can central and local government foster collaborations with business and the social economy to drive levelling up? Speakers: Paul Scully MP, Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for London Rt Hon Hazel Blears, Chair of the Board for Social Investment Business Ed Cox, Executive Director for Strategy, Integration and Net Zero at West Midlands Combined Authority Sara Williams, CEO of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce This event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event took place at the 2022 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

How can the civil service get better? And – with potentially huge efficiencies needed in the public sector – how can it do that for less money? Speakers: Gillian Keegan MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Rt Hon Lord Maude of Horsham, former Minister for the Cabinet Office Rt Hon Baroness Stowell of Beeston, former Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Acting Director of the Institute for Government. This event took place at the 2022 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

We explored whether regulators should have specific responsibility to consider the regional implications of their work, and where the levelling up agenda fits alongside the other challenges – such as world events, technological developments and changing citizen and consumer expectations – that government and regulators are having to grapple with. Speakers: Paul Scully MP, Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for London Anna Bradley, Chair of the Solicitors Regulation Authority Dame Patricia Hodgson, former Chair of Ofcom Robert Khan, Assistant Director for Public Affairs and National Offices at the General Medical Council This event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event took place at the 2022 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

The government’s vision for net zero is based on unleashing a range of technologies through the power of the market. But getting the right mix of policy, regulation and market support to achieve this won’t be easy. Is the government being too optimistic about the speed and cost of deploying technologies? What should it learn from the UK’s success on offshore wind? And what steps does it need to take to ensure technologies can support the transition? Speakers: Dean Russell MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Professor Mary Ryan, Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) at Imperial College London Dhara Vyas, Deputy Director of Energy UK This event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. This event took place at the 2022 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

Expanding and improving the UK’s housing stock will be crucial for delivering on the government’s flagship commitments to achieving net zero carbon emissions and levelling up economic performance and wellbeing across the country. But the government’s plans so far provide little detail about how this housing revolution will be achieved, and more clarity is needed on the mix of policy, regulation and market support measures required to create the conditions for success. We discussed the biggest challenges in delivering more affordable homes and a low-carbon transition in UK housing. Our panel includes: Bob Blackman MP, Member of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee Steve Cole, Director of Make UK Modular; Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation; Councillor Linda Taylor, Member of the LGA Environment, Economy, Housing and Transport Group Rosie Toogood, Chief Executive Officer of Legal and General Modular Homes The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. The event took place at the 2022 Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

How can the better use of data benefit public services? Our panel, chaired by Gavin Freeguard, featured Matt Davies, Senior Policy Adviser at the Open Data Institute; Helen Milner OBE, Group Chief Executive at Good Things Group; and Antonio Weiss, Senior Partner at The PSC. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

Technology is profoundly reconfiguring our society, creating new opportunities but also new risks and inequalities. Many politicians and policymakers have a limited understanding of technology and its effects, yet government has no choice but to grapple with these issues. How do we take technology out of the box labelled 'digital policy' and give it the attention it needs at the heart of policy and public life? We were joined by Chi Onwurah, Shadow Minister for Science, Research and Innovation; James Plunkett, Executive Director at Citizens Advice; Hetan Shah, Chief Executive of The British Academy; and Jeni Tennison, Executive Director at Connected by Data. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

After a series of ethical scandal - from Matt Hancock's breach of lockdown rules, to 'wallpapergate' and 'partygate' - Labour has suggested it is time for an Independent Ethics Commission, to bring together all the various watchdogs and strengthen their powers. But how could such a proposal work? What responsibilities could the commission take on? And is it time to redesign the system of standards in public life? We were joined by Chris Bryant MP, Chair of the Committee on Standards; Thangam Debbonaire MP, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons; Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government; Duncan Hames, Director of Policy and Programmes at Transparency International UK and Amy Leversidge, Assistant General Secretary at the FDA (trade union). The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Acting Director of the Institute for Government. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

In the UK climate remains a top-tier issue even in the face of economic turmoil, even if net zero is yet to emerge as a key area of political competition. What are the lessons of recent elections around the world for campaigning on climate change? And what should UK Labour’s approach be at the next general election? We discussed recent elections, breakdown the attitudes of voters and geographies, and look at constituencies affected by the transition – pointing to lessons around building successful electoral coalitions in support of climate action. Our panel included Bengt Bergt, SPD Member of the Bundestag; Polly Billington, Chief Executive of UK100; Megan Corton Scott, Campaigner at Greenpeace UK Tim Dixon, Co-Founder of More in Common and former Adviser to Australian Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard; Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government; and Barry Traill, Head of Climate Action Network Australia. The event was chaired by Sam Alvis, Head of Economy at Green Alliance. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

How should an incoming Labour government work with the civil service? We hosted an event exploring what mistakes previous new governments have made in how they work with civil servants for Labour to learn from. To discuss, we were joined by Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Member of Parliament for Leeds Central; Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee; Rt Hon Dame Margaret Hodge MP, Member of Parliament for Barking; and Alex Thomas, IfG Programme Director. The event w chaasired by Emma Norris, IfG Director of Research. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

The government has downplayed the role of behaviour change in net zero. But will people really be able to fly ‘guilt free’, or should they be expected to make modest changes to their diets and lifestyles? And how would a Labour government encourage behavioural change? We will discussed with: Kerry McCarthy MP, Shadow Minister (Climate Change and Net Zero) Darren Jones MP, Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee Dr Laure de Preux Gallone, Assistant Professor of Economics at Imperial College Business School’s Centre for Health Economics & Policy Innovation (CHEPI) Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE, Professor in the Department of Psychology and Director of the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) at the University of Bath. The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

What role should regulators play in levelling up under a Labour government? We discussed with Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town, Chair of the Lords International Agreements Select Committee; Martin Coppack Martin Coppack, Director of Fair By Design; and Ben Fisher, Director of Communications at the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

How can government policy best support innovation in the private sector to boost growth and reduce regional inequality? Our panel included Chi Onwurah, Shadow Minister for Science, Research and Innovation; Adam Bennett, Client Director for Central Government at Costain Group PLC; Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at the The University of Manchester; and John Whaling, Lead Officer for Innovation and Commercialisation at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. We also discussed what a Labour government’s approach to public R&D spending should be. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

The energy crisis – deepened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – has raised questions about the UK’s energy transition, including about affordability and security of supply.  How would a Labour government shift the UK to a net zero energy system? Our panel included Bill Esterson, Shadow Minister for Business and Industry; Sam Alvis, Head of Economy at Green Alliance; Sue Ferns, Deputy General Secretary at Prospect; Guy Newey, Chief Executive Officer at the Energy Systems Catapult. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

The UK government has promised further devolution to England’s cities and counties as part of its levelling up agenda, and wants metro mayors to play a leading role in closing regional economic and social disparities.   Is devolution the answer to tackling England’s regional inequality? How can local decision making lead to better outcomes? And what should be Labour’s distinct vision for generating economic growth and devolution?  We discussed with: Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester Christian Wakeford, Member of Parliament for Bury South and Member of the Transport Select Committee Francesca Gains, Professor of Public Policy and Academic Co-Director of Policy@Manchester at the The University of Manchester Phillip Woolley, Partner, Head of Public Services Consulting at Grant Thornton UK LLP This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

Coronavirus has placed a huge strain on the criminal justice system, with policing made more challenging, a huge growth in crown court backlogs, and prisons unable to deliver many rehabilitative services. But many problems predated the pandemic and must also be addressed. At the Labour Party Conference we explored how Labour would deliver a justice system that works for everyone. Our panel with Seetec, chaired by Nick Davies, included: Steve Reed, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Maria Eagle MP, Member of the Justice Select Committee Suki Binning, Chief Social Worker/Group Operations Director at Interventions Alliance Mark Fenhalls QC, Chair of the Bar Council This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

Wes Streeting MP, Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary, delivers a keynote speech on how Labour would tackle workforce shortages and burnout, backlogs and access to GP appointments. The event was followed by a discussion with Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research and REAL Centre at The Health Foundation and Emma Norris, IfG Director of Research. This event was recorded at the 2022 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Michael Cockerell, the BBC broadcaster and political journalist whose award-winning political documentaries have taken viewers behind the scenes of British politics for nearly half a century. He has interviewed a dozen prime ministers from Macmillan to Johnson, and made films about leading politicians including Roy Jenkins, Enoch Powell Denis Healey, Barbara Castle, Ken Clarke and Alan Clark. His documentary series have included the How to Be trilogy (How to Be Chancellor, How to Be Foreign Secretary and How to Be Home Secretary), The Great Offices of State and The Secret World of Whitehall. In conversation with IfG Senior Fellow Dr Catherine Haddon, Michael Cockerell discussed his memoir, Unmasking our Leaders, and share the stories and secrets – including clips from a number of his documentaries – of the politicians that he has met and interviewed. And with a new prime minister moving into 10 Downing Street, this event will also explore the qualities that make – and sometimes break – our political leaders. #IfGCockerell

The collapse of Carillion was driven by the reckless behaviour of the company’s directors, but the impact of its collapse on the public sector was also down to the government’s approach to outsourcing. Ministers have admitted that approach had often been flawed, and that the system of checks and balances had not worked. Four years on, and as the government seeks to make wholesale changes to procurement regulations, this event will assess whether it has learnt the lessons from Carillion. Key discussion points were: Has the government’s approach to outsourcing changed? How successful have the government’s post-Carillion reforms been? What impact have these reforms had on government procurement during the pandemic? Will the reforms in the proposed procurement bill help prevent future collapses of high-profile outsourcing firms? To discuss these we were joined by: Sally Guyer, Global CEO, World Commerce and Contracting Matthew Rees, Director of the NAO Commercial Hub Gareth Rhys Williams, Government Chief Commercial Officer Kate Steadman, Group Strategy & Communications Director at Serco The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 33rd in our series, the speakers will present their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker has eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers are: Claire Eadington, Head of Data Portfolio at the Central Digital and Data Office, on CDDO's strategic roadmap for data Alexis Castillo-Soto, Deputy Director for Digital and Data in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on how its Data Management Service (DMS) provides a flexible, scalable solution that can be reused to support existing/future digital services Anna Price, Statistics Regulator, Health and Social Care Lead at the Office for Statistics Regulation, on Reproducible Analytical Pipelines in government Matt Kerlogue, former Head of Data Innovation, Cabinet Office Analysis & Insight, on three things he’s learnt being a “data person” in government The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. #IfGDataBites

Diversity and inclusion are a key part of the discussion about how to run effective public services. The Cabinet Office's ‘Declaration on Government Reform’ reinforced the need for the civil service to draw on a more diverse range of experiences, skills and backgrounds, and set the standard for inclusive workplaces where people achieve their full potential. The new prime minister will need to make decisions about the government's approach to managing diversity and inclusion in the public sector. Such key decisions will be: How can current leaders create public sector workforces that reflect wider society? How can organisations support diverse groups of future public sector leaders and how can diverse public sector institutions deliver more inclusive policies and services? This panel event will draw on insights from the three previous private roundtables in the IfG and PwC’s Future Leaders Series. This series has brought together a mix of current and future public sector leaders to consider how the public sector can best reflect and serve society in a more inclusive way. On our panel to discuss these questions: Paul Cleal, Adviser and non-executive board member for the Premier League, Guy’s & Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and the Metropolitan Police Cllr Georgia Gould, Leader of Camden Council and Chair of the Leaders' Committee of London Councils Rupert McNeil, former Government Chief People Officer Ming Tang, Chief Data and Analytics Officer at NHS England Bernadette Thompson, Associate Director of Inclusion at Barts Health NHS Trust and former Deputy Director for Inclusion, Wellbeing and Employee Engagement at DLUHC The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGfutureleaders We would like to thank PwC for kindly supporting this event as part of their Future of Government research programme.

After a frenetic summer, the new prime minister will arrive in Downing Street with a busy in-tray. From looming energy price rises to wider pressures on the cost of living, from backlogs in the NHS to questions over cleaning up government, Liz Truss will take over on 6 September with barely time to draw breath. At this event, IfG experts will explore the big questions facing the next occupant of No.10: what are the options for tackling the cost of living crisis? How can government sort out the problems in key public services? And how can the next prime minister demonstrate that he, or she, is serious about ministers maintaining high ethical standards? To discuss these questions and more, our IfG expert panellists were: Dr Hannah White, Acting Director of the Institute for Government Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Nick Davies, Programme Director of the public services team Alex Thomas, Programme Director of the civil service team Tim Durrant, Associate Director for the ministers team The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government. #IfGnewPM

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Dame Dr Jenny Harries OBE, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency. After serving as the UK’s deputy Chief Medical Officer during the pandemic, Dr Harries took on leadership of the new UK Health Security Agency in April 2021. In conversation with Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, she discussed her vision for the UKHSA: What role will it play in protecting the country from Covid and future pandemics? What does Dr Harries see as the main challenges and priorities for the agency? And how will Dr Harries’ time as Deputy Chief Medical Officer shape her approach to leading the UKHSA? Jenny Harries is the inaugural Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency. She was previously the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England. She has served on the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and worked in a variety of public health roles in the UK and abroad. #IfGHarries

Better use of data is key to more effective public administration, and the justice system is no exception. At this month's special event, the 32nd in our series, speakers working in the justice system responded to new public attitudes research commissioned by The Legal Education Foundation in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. Dr Natalie Byrom, Director of Research at The Legal Education Foundation, introduced the forthcoming report Justice Data Matters: Building a public mandate for court data use. The report presents findings from research led by Ipsos MORI, which is the first study of its kind globally to explore the public's views about the use of court data by third parties. Daniel Flury, Director of Access to Justice Directorate at Ministry of Justice Jennifer Gisborne, Senior Research Executive at Ipsos MORI, and Reema Patel, Research Director at Ipsos UK Daniel Hoadley, Head of Litigation Data, Mishcon de Reya on ground truth and governance of judgment data Imogen Parker, Associate Director at the Ada Lovelace Institute The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. #IfGDataBites We would like to thank The Legal Education Foundation for kindly supporting this event.

Modelling and forecasting played a prominent role in the way policies were designed and decisions were made during the coronavirus pandemic. But the government’s handling of the crisis raised questions about how modelling - epidemiological and economic – was used by ministers. So how should models be produced and used within government? How should they be communicated to the public? And how well equipped are ministers and officials to understand and interpret modelling when making their decisions?. This panel explored the role of modelling in the Covid pandemic, the lessons that ministers should learn, and how the UK should draw on modelling in future crises. Ben Chu, Economics Editor for Newsnight Professor Neil Ferguson, Director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London Richard Hughes, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility Ruth Kelly, Chief Analyst at the National Audit Office. The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. #IfGforecast We would like to thank The Forum, Imperial College London’s policy engagement initiative for kindly supporting this event.

From housing to aviation, the digital economy to patient safety, ministers have a huge range of responsibilities. Yet little is known about how different ministers approach their roles and the reasons for these differences. How do ministers make decisions? How do they work with the civil service and devise policy? And how do they manage their teams? Dr John Boswell and Dr Jessica Smith of the University of Southampton, drawing on the Institute for Government’s Ministers Reflect archive, have identified different patterns in the way ministers work and seek to lead the civil service - and the different approaches taken by men and women serving in ministerial roles. To discuss their findings, and how this can help future ministers and civil servants, we were joined by: Dr John Boswell, Associate Professor of Politics at the University of Southampton Dr Jessica Smith, Lecturer in Politics at the University of Southampton Margot James, former minister at DCMS and BEIS and MP for Stourbridge, 2010-19 Dame Una O’Brien, former permanent secretary, Department of Health This event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGministers We would like to thank the University of Southampton and the ESRC for supporting this event.

Levelling up means boosting economic growth in the UK’s under-performing areas. So how can the government achieve this aim? Ministers emphasise the need to create new manufacturing jobs. But from law and accountancy to retail and hospitality, the UK economy is predominantly services-based – with many high value services jobs concentrated in the South East. So how can the services sector contribute to economic growth across the UK? What can the government do to help service sector clusters thrive outside London and the South East? And is the government getting the balance right between focusing on manufacturing and services? To discuss these questions and more: Bim Afolami MP for Hitchin and Harpenden Bhavina Bharkhada, Head of Policy at Make UK John Cooper, Partner, Public Law & Regulation at Gowling WLG Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. #IfGlevellingup We would like to thank Gowling WLG for their support for this event.

The Institute for Government was delighted to host an event with the Office for Budget Responsibility to discuss their new Fiscal Risks and Sustainability Report. While the economic shocks of the Covid pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have been huge, there are many other factors likely to change the shape of the UK state and the demands placed on it in future. Some – such as the ageing of the population and the shift towards net zero carbon emissions – can be anticipated; others – such as the impacts of unabated climate change and possible future geopolitical instability – are harder to predict with certainty. This event opened with a short presentation by Richard Hughes, Chair of the OBR, on the main findings in the report followed by a panel discussion on the major challenges facing the UK and how the government can best prepare for these. Our panel included: Professor Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director-General of RUSI Rosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for Government Richard Hughes, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility Professor Andrew Scott, Professor of Economics, London Business School. The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. #IfGeconomy

As she prepares to step down as Director of the Institute for Government, Bronwen Maddox gave a valedictory lecture. Her six years at the IfG have seen two general elections, three prime ministers and, in Brexit and the Covid pandemic, two of the biggest peacetime challenges ever faced by governments in this country. In her speech, Bronwen reflected on what is wrong with British government – and what is right – and what needs to change to make it better. The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, IfG Deputy Director. #IfGMaddox

Restoring Faith in Politics James Brokenshire served in Theresa May’s cabinet between 2016 and 2019, first as Northern Ireland Secretary and then as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. In memory of James, who died in 2021, the former prime minister delivered a lecture at the Institute for Government reflecting on the theme of public service which was central to his life and career. Following the lecture, Mrs May was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. #IfGBrokenshire

Introductory remarks by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government Setting out the recommendations of a recent IfG report, Tom Sasse, IfG Associate Director, made the case for reforms such as appointing a dedicated head of policy making in each department, encouraging officials to specialise more in policy areas, and greater co-ordination of cross-departmental policy making. Discussion with speakers: Andrew Carter, Chief Executive of the Centre for Cities Anna Isaac, Economics Editor at The Independent Paul Kissack, Group Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First. Chaired by: Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government Closing remarks from Lord Sainsbury of Turville. #IfGgovtreform

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 31st in our series, the speakers will present their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker has eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers, with a focus on climate change: Simon McLellan, Head of Data at the Met Office, on the big data challenges of weather and climate data Dr Thomas Sadler, Head of Environmental Statistics Development, ONS, on developing the UK’s Climate Change Statistics Portal Jolene Tan, Trase Communications Lead at Global Canopy, on mapping the deforestation impact of commodity supply chains Dr Ali Mashayek, Lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, on climate dynamics and the effect on the warming of the oceans The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. #IfGDataBites We would like to thank The Forum, Imperial College London’s policy engagement initiative for kindly supporting this event.

Welcome by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Opening remarks from Lord Sainsbury of Turville, Chair of the Institute for Government Alex Thomas, IfG Programme Director, set out a new model which puts the accountability of the civil service in statute to enshrine the civil service’s objective, governance, authority and relationship with ministers and gives the head of the civil service the statutory responsibility to meet that objective and the power to lead the civil service accordingly. Discussion with speakers: Sir Ian Cheshire, former Government Lead Non-Executive Dame Margaret Hodge MP, former chair of the Public Accounts Committee Sir Jonathan Jones QC, former head of the Government Legal Department Chaired by: Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee. With the NHS facing record waiting lists and workforce problems in the wake of the pandemic, and as the government’s plans to fund social care come under intense scrutiny, the former – and Britain’s longest-serving – health secretary was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. He discussed his new book Zero: Eliminating unnecessary deaths in a post-pandemic NHS, which he says sets out “how the NHS can reduce the number of avoidable deaths to zero and in the process save money, reduce backlogs and improve working conditions.” The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP has been the member of parliament for South West Surrey since May 2005. He has served as Culture Secretary, Health Secretary and Foreign Secretary, and has chaired the Commons Select Committee Health and Social Care since January 2020. #IfGHunt

The government spends around £300bn a year – a third of all public expenditure – on procurement. Following the UK’s exit from the EU, the government has proposed major reforms to the rules governing public sector buying. The government says the new Procurement Bill will create a simpler and more transparent system which makes it easier for SMEs to win contracts and for the government to disqualify poorly performing suppliers. This event discussed the bill’s aims, challenges to achieving the government’s objectives and featured a presentation on the key measures contained in the bill from: Ed Green, Deputy Director, Commercial Policy - International and Reform at the Cabinet Office Lindsay Maguire, Head of Engagement for Procurement Reform at the Cabinet Office And responses from: Mark Leigh, Deputy Chief Commercial Officer at DWP Laura Wisdom, Partner at Burges Salmon The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGoutsourcing This event was kindly supported by Burges Salmon.

Equipping the UK workforce with the right skills will be critical to the success of the net zero transition, and the government has committed to reforming the skills system. What should those skills, and reforms, look like? How can the government make sure that the right skills are available in the right place at the right time? And what can it do to ensure that the opportunities of net zero are shared fairly across the country? Discussing these questions: Sam Alvis, Head of Economy at Green Alliance Alyssa Gilbert, Director of Policy and Translation at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment Ian O'Donnell, Net Zero and Special Projects Lead at the Federation of Small Businesses Tom Sasse, Associate Director of the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. #IfGnetzero We would like to thank The Forum, Imperial College London’s policy engagement initiative for kindly supporting this even

The new unified Probation Service combined the previously outsourced management of medium- and low-risk offenders with the public sector National Probation Service, which managed high-risk offenders. Launched by the government on 26 June 2021, it was the fourth major restructuring of probation services in 20 years. This involved hundreds of thousands of cases, thousands of staff across hundreds of sites, six companies and scores of sub-contractors – all with different ways of working. One year on, how well has the transition worked? What more needs to be done to improve the running of probation services? And what opportunities – and challenges – could the next year bring? To discuss these questions and more, the IfG was delighted to bring together an expert panel including: Jim Barton, Executive Director for the Probation Reform Programme at the Ministry of Justice Suki Binning, Chief Social Worker at Seetec and Executive Director at the Interventions Alliance Linda Neimantas, Head of Probation Inspection Programme at HM Inspectorate of Probation. The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGprobation

The role of the Lord Chancellor is to protect and uphold the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. Yet the position is held by a cabinet minister: the secretary of state for justice. This overlap between the independent judiciary and the political world, and the balance of power between parliament, government and the judiciary, is the source of much debate – and disagreement. So what powers, if any, should a Lord Chancellor have over judicial appointments? Should the role go to someone with a legal background? What makes a good Lord Chancellor? Sir Robert Buckland, who served as Lord Chancellor and secretary of state for justice until September 2021, opened this event with a short speech on his experiences in post and his proposals for how it can be reformed. Responding to Sir Robert Buckland and joining the discussion: Baroness Butler-Sloss, former judge and first female Lord Justice of Appeal Sir Jonathan Jones, former treasury solicitor and head of the government legal department The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government. #IfGLordChancellor

Devolution, levelling up and local leadership As part of a special series of events on devolution and levelling up, featuring local leaders from across England, the Institute for Government was delighted to be joined by Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester. First elected in May 2017 and re-elected for a second term in May 2021, Andy Burnham discussed his role and priorities, the challenges of working with the UK government to level up the Greater Manchester region and what further powers he would like to see devolved in the promised 'Trailblazer' devolution deal being negotiated between Whitehall and local leaders in Greater Manchester. Andy Burnham was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and head of the Institute's devolution research programme. This event was broadcast live from Manchester. Andy Burnham was the MP for Leigh from 2001-17 and held a series of ministerial posts including Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Secretary of State for Health. In opposition after 2010, he served as shadow education, health and home secretary, before resigning his seat to become Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017. #IfGdevo This event is kindly supported by Policy@Manchester, the University of Manchester's sector-leading policy engagement unit.

How much influence does the public have on the decisions made by government? Should they have more? And how should that work? People want a greater say in the decisions that affect them and their lives, with polling by UCL’s Constitution Unit finding that 77% of people felt they had too little influence over how the UK is governed. There is often a disconnect between the public and the UK’s representative institutions. So what needs to be done to bridge this gap between citizens and the state? This event, part of the Institute for Government and Bennett Institute for Public Policy’s Review of the UK constitution, explored ambitious ideas for reinvigorating democracy in the UK. From new digital technologies, tools for allowing people most affected by policies to help design them, and citizens’ assembles on the most important policy challenges facing the country, our panel will pitch their proposals to improve the UK constitution and bring decision making closer to the people. Sarah Castell, CEO of Involve Miriam Levin, Programme Director at Engage Britain Professor Jane Suiter, Director of Dublin City University’s Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society Oli Whittington, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Collective Intelligence Design, Nesta The event was chaired by Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government #IfGBennettInst

The government wants to phase out petrol and diesel cars from 2030. So how can this ambitious target – which has been brought forward by a decade – be delivered? Key policy issues, such as the treatment of hybrid vehicles, are still to be settled, but the government will also have to address a series of complex questions. What can it do to encourage consumers to switch vehicles? What needs to done to roll out charging infrastructure? And what will this mean for the distribution and supply of electricity? On our panel to discuss the challenges involved in the electric vehicle switchover were: Professor David Bailey, Professor of Business Economics at Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham and Senior Fellow at UK in a Changing Europe Philip New, Chair of the EV Energy Taskforce and former CEO of Energy Systems Catapult Dr Aruna Sivakumar, Director of the Urban Systems Lab at Imperial College London Jeremy Yapp, Head of Flexible Energy Systems at BEAMA The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 30th in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Alannah Keogh, Data Analyst, Social Investment Business, on using data to improve grant decision making Richard Oakley, Director of Data Science and AI at Methods Analytics, on 'Data science and AI in Government – more accessible than you think' Andrew Banks, Lead Data Scientist at the ONS Data Science Campus, on experimental analysis showing how the lowest priced everyday grocery items have changed in price Mark Thompson, Professor in Digital Economy at the University of Exeter, on the challenges of getting the foundations right for embracing public sector innovation. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto promised to level up “every part” of the UK, but there is unlikely to be enough money to radically improve economic prospects across the country. Will the government need to ‘pick winners’ or are there other ways of ensuring that money is spent where it can have the biggest impact? The sheer breadth of the levelling up agenda – and the missions that the government has set out – means almost any area can be seen as a priority. So how will the government’s levelling up missions shape its spending priorities? Can ministers avoid the impression – as has happened with the Towns Fund – that party politics motivates their choices? And is it possible to level up without ‘levelling down’ leading areas such as London and the South East? Speakers on the panel were: Andrew McPhillips, Chief Economist of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership Selaine Saxby MP for North Devon and member of the Work and Pension Committee Paul Swinney, Director of Policy and Research at the Centre for Cities The event was chaired by Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Lloyds Banking Group.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Wes Streeting MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. With the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to place the NHS under huge strain, Wes Streeting discussed with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, how Labour would tackle waiting list backlogs, address workforce problems and reform the social care system. He also examined the lessons the NHS should learn from the pandemic. Wes Streeting has been the Member of Parliament for Ilford North since May 2015. He has served as Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Shadow Minister for Schools, Shadow Secretary of State for Child Poverty and, since November 2021, in his current position as Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

COP26 was one of the biggest diplomatic events any UK government has hosted in recent decades, with a huge amount of diplomacy, logistical preparations and careful planning required both ahead of and during the conference. So what lessons should the government take from the experience of hosting a major international summit, and can they play a part in its wider global ambitions? It is now half a year since world leaders met in Glasgow, but there are still six months remaining in the UK’s COP presidency. What should the government be looking to achieve? How has the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis changed the energy landscape? And what is the outlook for international cooperation on net zero? On our panel to discuss these issues will be: Camilla Born, Deputy Director, International Climate Finance in the COP26 Unit, Cabinet Office Greg Bourne, Councillor at the Climate Council of Australia Sepi Golzari-Munro, Deputy Director of the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit Professor Mary Ryan, Interim Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) at Imperial College London The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

WhatsApp is Westminster’s favourite way of communicating. Widely used across government , it is quick, convenient and easy to use. But WhatsApp also brings problems – it can lead to bad decision making, poor record-keeping and a lack of transparency. So how should ministers, special adviser and officials use WhatsApp to ensure that the benefits outweigh the risks? How can the government prevent crucial messages going undocumented? And when is WhatsApp not appropriate for use in government? Following the IfG’s report on WhatsApp in Government, an expert panel discuss how to get the best out of WhatsApp in Westminster: Lord Bethell, former parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Health and Social Care Hugo Rifkind, columnist and leader writer for The Times Dr Catherine Haddon, senior fellow, Institute for Government The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, associate director at the Institute for Government. #IfGWhatsApp

During the Covid-19 pandemic, unprecedented numbers of people engaged with evidence behind government policy. Many had to interpret and implement government decisions while making trade-offs with other priorities, like protecting children, cancer care provision or running businesses. Based on testimony from expert witnesses and the experiences of people from a broad range of sectors across the UK, Sense About Science’s What Counts? inquiry is a major new study looking at what society needed to know and how well the UK government was able to respond. The report’s findings, including a NatCen survey of how the public engaged with government evidence, was presented Tracey Brown, Director of Sense about Science, followed by remarks from Greg Clark MP, Chair of the Science and Technology Committee, and a panel discussion with Paul Wilson, Policy Director at the Federation of Small Businesses. The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. The report What Counts? A scoping inquiry into how well the government’s evidence for Covid-19 decisions served society is available for download on the Sense About Science website. #WhatCounts

As part of a special series of events on devolution, levelling up and local leadership, featuring local leaders from across England, the Institute for Government was delighted to be joined by Jamie Driscoll, Mayor of the North of Tyne region. Powers over infrastructure, skills, and housing have already been transferred to the North of Tyne combined authority, and the government's levelling up agenda may see more follow – as well as expand the devolution deal to cover Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside too. At the event, the mayor discussed his role, how to make levelling up a reality in the North Tyne area and how he would like to see devolution extended. Jamie Driscoll was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. This event was broadcast live from Newcastle in front of an invited audience. Jamie Driscoll was a Labour and Cooperative councillor in Monument ward, Newcastle city centre, before being elected Mayor of the North of Tyne in May 2019. He studied engineering at Northumbria University and worked in the electronics and IT sector before setting up his own software development business. #IfGdevo We would like to thank the Centre for Researching Cities and the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS) at Newcastle University for kindly supporting this event.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) was created by the merger of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development (DfID) in 2020. Since then, the department has implemented a substantial cut to the UK’s aid budget, dealt with the foreign policy implications of Brexit, handled the UK’s presidency of the G7 and the COP climate conference, and responded to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But has the merger of the FCO and DfID been a success? Are the prime minister’s objectives being achieved by the FCDO? Does the department have good relations with the rest of government? And what lessons does the FCDO need to learn to ensure it can achieve the UK’s global priorities? To discuss all this we were joined by: Sir Alan Duncan, former Minister of State at DfID and FCO Sarah Champion MP, Chair of the International Development Committee Lord McDonald, former Permanent Under Secretary at the FCO Stephanie Draper, Chief Executive Officer at Bond This event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGFCDO

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 29th in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. Our partner, Ploughshare, the Ministry of Defence’s Technology Transfer Office, helped bring together speakers from cyber and defence around the theme, 'Mission Possible – Getting the right data, to the right people with the right permissions to inform and act.' This month's speakers were: Mark Darbin, Principal Scientist at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory on a Ministry of Defence approach to sharing the right data at the right time through Information Based Security Architecture (IBSA) Andrew Garner, Lead Security Architect at UK MOD Strategic Command Cap C4ISTAR on communicating and sharing information securely with partners within Mission Partner Environments (MPEs) using data-centric security aligned to Zero Trust Architecture principles Wendy Griffiths, Product Manager at Tarian Technology on how to eradicate the cyber threat using data centric security. Andrew Read, Systems Engineer at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, a case study on sharing intelligence data within NATO The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. #IfGDataBites This event is kindly supported by Ploughshare.

Boris Johnson's 2019 pledge to ‘level up’ the UK has become his government’s flagship agenda. But this is not the first government aiming to reduce regional economic disparities, and the Johnson administration will need to learn from the experience of past administrations if it is to succeed where others failed. With previous attempts to level up let down by frequent churn in institutions and programmes, as well as a failure to properly evaluate which policies were working, this event will explore what lessons the government can learn from the past. Does the government know which policies will work to level up? How can it overcome barriers to the effective evaluation of any new policies? What other lessons can it learn from previous administrations if it is to make levelling up a success? The Institute for Government was delighted to bring together the following panel to discuss these issues: Ruth Kelly, Chief Analyst at the National Audit Office Danielle Mason, Head of Policy at the What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth Lucie Moore, Evaluation Lead in the Evaluation Task Force, Cabinet Office Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. #IfGlevellingup

At the 2019 general election, the Conservative Party won votes in many places that had not traditionally voted Tory - with the promise to 'level up' the UK seen as a key factor. A recent white paper finally set out the government’s plan to turn the levelling up slogan into reality, including 12 missions to be achieved by 2030. But with the general election due in no more than two years, will the government be able to demonstrate sufficient levelling up progress before voters return to the polls? Has it set its expectations too high? What do voters want to see from levelling up? This event, held in the week after the local elections, asked what the public expects of levelling up and whether and how the government can deliver against public expectations before April 2024. On our panel to discuss these issues: Viki Cooke, Founding Partner at Britain Thinks Andrew Lewer MP, Member of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee and Vice-President of the Local Government Association Alex Norris MP, Shadow Minister for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities and Local Government Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. #IfGlevellingup We would like to thank Lloyds Banking Group for supporting this event.

From attending parties during the Covid-19 lockdown to taking payment for lobbying, some MPs seem to think the rules they set for others should not apply to them. Their procedures are complex, they are far from representative of the UK population, and many appear detached from the lives led by their constituents. So what can be done to reform the way the House of Commons works? How can MPs make their institution worthy of public trust? And what can parliamentarians do to restore their flagging reputation? To mark the publication of her new book: Held in Contempt: What's wrong with the House of Commons? the IfG's deputy director, Dr Hannah White was joined by an expert panel, including The Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP, Member of Parliament for Staffordshire Moorlands, and Chris Cook from the Financial Times. The event was chaired by IfG senior fellow, Dr Catherine Haddon. #IfGCommons

A decade since Michael Gove passed legislation allowing all schools to convert to academy status, academies make up just under half of all schools in England. The rest are regulated as maintained schools, meaning two parallel systems – with resulting confusion, gaps, and misalignments – now exist. Neighbouring schools can have different rules around admissions, special educational needs provision, or the use of the national curriculum. In a paper for the Institute for Government, Sam Freedman has argued that high-quality multi-academy trusts (MATs) can be the bedrock of the English system, and that it is time for the Department for Education to map a process for moving to a fully academised system. This event explored the proposals in the new education white paper – the first time since 2016 that the government has set out a vision for the future of the system – and what the future schools system should look like, as well as exploring the benefits and drawbacks of making every school an academy. On our panel were: Sam Freedman, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Joe Hallgarten, Chief Executive Officer at the Centre for Education and Youth Natalie Perera, Chief Executive Officer at the Education Policy Institute The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government. #IfGacademies

Levelling up and net zero are the government’s twin flagship agendas. But how do they align? Where and how can policies complement each other? And what is required to make that happen? While the levelling up white paper acknowledged and explored some of the links between the two agendas, the government has yet to set out a coherent plan for how they will be brought together. On our panel to discuss these issues were: Steve Beechey, Group Public Sector Director at Wates Roz Bulleid, Deputy Policy Director at Green Alliance Rt Hon Philip Dunne MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee Julia Goldsworthy, former Director of Strategy at the West Midlands Combined Authority. The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGlevellingup We would like to thank Wates for kindly supporting this event.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 28th in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Alison Pritchard, Deputy National Statistician and Director General for Data Capability, Office for National Statistics, on the Integrated Data Service Ed Humpherson, Head of the Office for Statistics Regulation, on how it’s not enough for data to be technically strong, and the need for intelligent transparency based on trustworthiness, quality and value Laura Sandys CBE, Chair of the Energy Digitalisation Taskforce, on the case for limited Public Interest Digital Assets Leanne Summers, Head of AI Strategy at NHS Transformation, on developing a learning health and social care system enabled by data and AI. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. Find out more about Data Bites: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/data-bites

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 27th in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Tina Mermiri, Head of User & Data Insight at Government Digital Service, on data, trends and change on GOV.UK Hannah Spiro, Head of Public Attitudes, and Holly Clarke, Public Attitudes Researcher, at the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI), on the findings of the CDEI Tracker Survey which monitors changing public attitudes to data and AI Charles Price, Deputy Director of the Knowledge Assets Team at BEIS, on public sector knowledge asset management Kathleen Caper, Senior Policy Adviser at the Central Digital and Data Office, on the Data Standards Authority and why data sharing governance is key to its plans. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. Find out more about Data Bites: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/data-bites

After the long years of counter-insurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine means the United Kingdom once again faces a conflict in Europe. At the same time, China is taking an increasingly assertive approach to Taiwan. The government's response to this era of renewed global competition is the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. One year on from its publication, the Institute for Government was delighted to host MoD Permanent Secretary David Williams alongside Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin to discuss their priorities for the Ministry of Defence and what reforms will ensure the civil service and armed forces are able to meet the threats the UK faces in the world. The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government #IfGUKdefence

In 2017, Michael Gove called Brexit an ‘unfrozen moment’ which would allow ministers to address long-standing criticisms of the EU Common Agricultural Policy and free the government to radically reform the way it supports farmers. So will redirecting England’s £2.4 billion annual farm budget deliver a substantial Brexit dividend? Will reforms bring about everything farmers, environmentalists and taxpayers expect? And can those changes be delivered while the sector is coping with labour shortages, rising energy prices, new trade deals and post-Brexit regulatory changes? And how can policy on food, farming and land use help the government meet its ambitions on net zero, levelling up and tackling obesity? With post-Brexit agricultural reforms the subject of a new IfG report, Agriculture after Brexit: Replacing the CAP, this event will discussed what needs to be done to ensure a better future for food, farming and land use in England. On the panel: Jonathan Baker, Deputy Director in the Future Farming and Countryside Programme at Defra Minette Batters, President of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive of The Food Farming & Countryside Commission (FFCC) Beccy Speight, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of the Protection of Birds (RSPB) This event was chaired by Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. Follow @ifgevents #IfGBrexit

Boris Johnson has set 'levelling up' the UK as the mission for his government, but few in Whitehall or the country can explain exactly what it is, how it will be implemented and what success looks like. Tackling regional inequalities lies at the heart of the Conservative Party's re-election hopes, but relies on the implementation of a complex series of policies across national and local government – so does the UK have the will and the money to see it through? Following the release of the government's levelling up white paper, the Institute for Government welcomed Neil O'Brien, the minister for levelling up, to explore levelling up with Sebastian Payne, Whitehall Editor of the Financial Times and author of Broken Heartlands: A Journey Through Labour's Lost England. The pair were in conversation with IfG director Bronwen Maddox, discussing Sebastian Payne's road trip through parts of England that voted Conservative for the first time in living memory and Neil O'Brien's work on producing the white paper and defining the policies that are the core mission of this government. #IfGlevellingup

COP26 highlighted the critical role business and finance will play in driving the transition to a net zero economy. Businesses made new net zero commitments; regulators discussed how to tighten scrutiny of those commitments; and policy makers announced plans to mandate the publication of climate-related risks to business. So how can finance best help the transition to net zero? What can be done to prevent ‘greenwashing’ and build trust in businesses’ commitment to tackling climate change? And what does government need to do to support green business and finance? With the UK set to continue to play a leading role on green finance, our panel discussed how it can accelerate progress after COP26: Sarah Breeden, Executive Director, Financial Stability Strategy at the Bank of England Anthony Browne MP, member of the Treasury Committee Maria Lombardo, Head of ESG Advisory Sustainable Finance at Standard Chartered Bank Kuangyi Wei, Director, Risk & Regulatory Strategy, UKI at Accenture The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGnetzero We would like to thank Accenture for kindly supporting this event.

Devolution, levelling up and local leadership As part of a special series of events on devolution and levelling up, featuring local leaders from across England, the Institute for Government was delighted to be joined by Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire and leader of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. After just under a year in office, Tracy Brabin discussed her role as mayor, working with the UK government to make levelling up a reality in West Yorkshire, and how she would like to see the powers of mayors evolve. Tracy Brabin was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. This event was broadcast live from Leeds in front of an invited audience. There was an opportunity to put questions to the mayor from both the online and in-person audience. Tracy Brabin was elected as MP for Batley and Spen in October 2016. She was appointed Shadow Minister for Early Years in 2017; Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in January 2020 and Shadow Minister for Cultural Industries in April 2020. She was elected as the first Mayor of West Yorkshire in May 2021, at which point she was required to step down as MP. #IfGdevo We would like to thank Manchester Airports Group for kindly supporting this event.

The norms and conventions of the UK’s uncodified constitution are being pushed to their limits – and sometimes beyond. In the absence of clear legal rules, the constitution relies on a shared understanding of what constitutes good behaviour in public and political life, and trust that people in positions of power will abide by that understanding. The constitutional historian Peter Hennessy describes as this as the “good chaps” theory of UK government. However, the Brexit process saw conflict between different branches of government – parliament, the government and the courts – while Westminster has been rocked by a recent series of scandals around the behaviour of ministers and MPs. So is this a temporary aberration or a deeper problem? Is greater codification needed to regulate the behaviour of constitutional actors? Can the UK rely on “good chaps” or is more needed to ensure norms and conventions are followed? As part of our review of the UK constitution, the Institute for Government and the Bennett Institute for Public Policy hosted a panel of experts to discuss these issues and more: Professor Andrew Blick, Head of the Department of Political Economy and Professor of Politics and Contemporary History at King’s College London Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Professor Meg Russell, Professor of British and Comparative Politics and Director of the Constitution Unit at University College London The event was chaired by Maddy Thimont Jack, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGBennettInst

Devolution, levelling up and local leadership event series As part of a special series of events on devolution and levelling up, featuring local leaders from across England, the Institute for Government was delighted to be joined by Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region and leader of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. After nearly five years in office, Steve Rotheram discussed his role as mayor, how he is working with the UK government, what his priorities are for the Liverpool City Region and how he would like to see the powers of mayors evolve. Steve Rotheram was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. This event was broadcast live from Liverpool in front of an invited audience. There was an opportunity to put questions to the mayor from both the online and in-person audience. Steve Rotheram started his political career in 2002 as a Labour councillor on Liverpool City Council and served as Lord Mayor from 2008 to 2009. He was elected MP for Liverpool Walton in 2010 later becoming PPS to Jeremy Corbyn. He stood down as MP in 2017 and was elected Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region in May 2017. We would like to thank the JRSST Charitable Trust for its support of our wider programme of work on metro mayors and English devolution, of which this event is part. #IfGdevo

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Sir David Norgrove, Chair of the UK Statistics Authority. Sir David’s term as chair of the Statistics Authority, which oversees the UK’s statistical system (including the Office for National Statistics, the Office for Statistics Regulation, and the Government Statistical Service), has taken in a Census, the coronavirus pandemic, technological progress and other developments in how data and statistics are used in decision making. As his term comes to an end, he reflected on his experiences in conversation with Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. #IfGNorgrove Sir David Norgrove is Chair of the UK Statistics Authority. Sir David began his career as an economist at the Treasury and worked in a Chicago bank before becoming Private Secretary to the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. He spent 16 years with Marks & Spencer between 1988 and 2004 and became a member of the Board there. Since leaving M&S he has chaired the Low Pay Commission, the Pensions Regulator and a Government review of the family justice system. Sir David was knighted in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to the low paid and to family justice.

After a turbulent decade in British politics and government, the civil service faces a crisis of authority. Politicians question its legitimacy and effectiveness, permanent secretaries have been summarily dismissed and officials have been drawn into “partygate” and procurement scandals. A new paper from the Institute for Government will argue that the civil service needs a new statutory role to underpin its constitutional position and improve its accountability and effectiveness. Government reform also creates an opportunity to improve policy making in the UK. Chronic policy problems like housing supply, social care and regional inequality have been left untackled for too long. A second IfG report, also to be published on 3 March, will set out ways for the civil service to be held more accountable for the standards of its policy advice and the expertise of its staff. Our panel to debate these new papers: The Rt Hon The Lord Herbert of South Downs, former Minister of State for Policing and Social Justice The Rt Hon Dame Margaret Hodge MP, former Chair of the Public Accounts Committee Polly Mackenzie, Chief Executive of Demos and former Director of Policy to the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg Ian Watmore, former First Civil Service Commissioner The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGcivilservice

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Andy Haldane, the Permanent Secretary for Levelling Up. On a six-month secondment from the RSA, Andy Haldane was assigned a key role in defining and delivering one of the flagship policies of Boris Johnson’s government. In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, Andy Haldane discussed the recently published levelling up white paper, the challenges to the white paper’s ambitions, and how to turn those ambitions into reality. Andy Haldane was Chief Economist at the Bank of England from 1989 to June 2021. He was appointed Chief Executive of the RSA in September 2021. #IfGlevellingup

The future of the protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland remains uncertain, a year after it came fully into force. The arrangements continue to be a major source of tension in the post-Brexit UK-EU relationship and within Northern Ireland, with the first minister citing the DUP’s objections to the protocol for his recent resignation. The ongoing uncertainty around the protocol is having a real impact on business and society. And with the May 2022 elections to the Northern Ireland assembly approaching and a question mark over Stormont’s future, the UK and the EU are under pressure to reach agreement on the future of the protocol. What lessons are there from the protocol’s first year? Why does the protocol continue to be a source of tension in the UK-EU relationship and such a divisive issue in Northern Ireland? Are attitudes changing? Where are the sticking points, and where is the protocol working well? What challenges are coming down the track and where can compromise be found? Set against the results of new polling from Queen’s University Belfast, this event explored what people in Northern Ireland think of the protocol, the challenges that the UK and the EU face in managing the protocol and its consequences in the long term, and how people from Northern Ireland can be involved in the effective governance of the protocol’s implementation. Panel: Professor Katy Hayward, Professor of Political Sociology, Queen’s University Belfast and Senior Fellow at UK in a Changing Europe Professor David Phinnemore, Professor of European Politics at Queen’s University Belfast Raoul Ruparel, former Special Adviser to Theresa May on Europe Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. #IfGBrexit We would like to thank Queen's University Belfast and the Economic and Social Research Council for kindly supporting this event.

The Institute for Government recently published the ninth edition of our annual Whitehall Monitor report on the government’s size, shape and performance. This report launch explored what Whitehall Monitor 2022 reveals about the way the pandemic has changed how the government works and how the Covid-19 response will sit alongside ministers’ wider agenda for the second half of the parliament. How has the Omicron variant complicated the government's attempts to move away from crisis management mode? What will increases to departmental spending mean for pandemic backlogs? And what do civil service staff cuts mean for government capability - including its ambitions for civil service reform? On our panel to discuss these issues were: Matthew Holehouse, British political correspondent at The Economist Charlotte Pickles, Director of Reform Dame Glenys Stacey, Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection William Wragg MP, Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was a short presentation of the key findings from the report at the start of the event. #IfGWM22

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Sir John Major KG CH to give a keynote speech on the issue of trust and standards in a democracy. It was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Sir John Major was Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997. He served as MP for Huntingdon from 1979 to 2001. #IfGJohnMajor

Bronwen Maddox gave the Institute for Government’s annual Director’s Lecture. This was followed by a response from New Statesman political editor Stephen Bush, and a discussion chaired by Sir David Lidington, the former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for the Cabinet Office, and Justice Secretary. In her speech, Bronwen reflected on the government’s handling of the pandemic, expectations now of government and reforms that are needed. #IfGDirector

The Department for Education’s Covid response has been widely criticised, with schools closing and reopening with little warning and many pupils adapting to remote learning. And now DfE faces a fresh set of challenges – from ‘levelling up’ educational opportunities to ensuring everyone has a better start in life by improving early education and childcare. But does DfE have the capacity to meet education’s challenges in the post-pandemic world? How has academisation changed the role of the department? Does it have the capacity to improve the system? And does the department devote enough time to long-term challenges? On our panel to discuss these questions: Justine Greening, former Secretary of State for Education Anne Longfield, former Children’s Commissioner for England Jonathan Slater, former Permanent Secretary for the Department for Education Rachel Sylvester, Political columnist at The Times The event was chaired by Sam Freedman, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. #IfGeducation We would like to thank edpol.net and the Foundation for Education Development (FED) for supporting this event.

Institute for Government/Bennett Institute 'Review of the UK Constitution' launch event. From Supreme Court interventions to accusations of ‘dead parliaments’, the Brexit impact to the pandemic response, a tumultuous period in British politics has put the UK constitution under huge strain and undermined public faith in how the UK is governed. Calls for change have come from all sides. Should the UK’s constitution be codified? Does parliament have enough power to hold the government to account? Are the courts going too far in diluting government power? Does the role of the House of Lords and the monarchy need rethinking? Is devolution working – and do we need more of it? How do governments deal with the public and can trust be restored? While the last five years have brought the constitution’s sustainability into question, they have also created a real opportunity to reinvigorate UK democracy, restore trust in the political system and improve the way that government works. But without a clear vision for the future, the UK risks yet more constitutional confusion and conflict. Over the next 18 months, the Institute for Government and the Bennett Institute of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge, backed by a distinguished advisory panel, will undertake an impartial, non-partisan review of the constitution before setting out recommendations for change for this and future governments to follow. This event launched this major joint project, exploring how well the UK constitution is working and the problems that now need to be addressed. On the panel to discuss the UK constitution and the problems faced, were: Dr Halima Begum, Chief Executive of the Runnymede Trust The Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC, former Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice; current Member of Parliament for South Swindon Professor Ciaran Martin, former Chief Executive of the National Cyber Security Centre; now Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations at Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University Baroness Smith of Basildon, Shadow Leader of the House of Lords This event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Professor Michael Kenny, Director of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at the University of Cambridge, provided some opening remarks on the review. #IfGBennettInst

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 26th in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker has eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Hamish Dibley, Director at BearingPoint, on how humanising the use of NHS data leads to performance improvement and better person outcomes John Bryant, Head of Strategy and Development, Torbay Council, on Greener Care Collaborative: Releasing Time to Care Arnie King, Research and Policy Lead at Coproduce Care CIC, on social care voice data for those receiving ‘worst outcomes’ Juliana Outes Velarde, Data Steward at the Government Outcomes Lab, Blavatnik School of Government (University of Oxford), on better data for social outcomes The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. #IfGDataBites We would like to thank BearingPoint for supporting this event.

The long-awaited government white paper on levelling up is due to be published in early 2022, but the government alone cannot pay for the policies needed to help the UK’s left-behind areas. So what can ministers do to involve the private sector in shaping and delivering the levelling up agenda? What more can be done to unlock greater private sector investment? How can private investment deliver social as well as economic impact? What lessons can be drawn from previous public-private partnerships to deliver major infrastructure improvements? To discuss these questions, the IfG was delighted to host an expert panel including: Kevin Hollinrake MP, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Business Banking and member of the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee Stephen Muers, Chief Executive Officer at Big Society Capital Sara Williams, CEO of the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce John Wrathmell, Director, Strategy, Research and Economy at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Big Society Capital for supporting this event.

The government's Subsidy Control Bill sets out how the UK will replace EU state aid rules, but will this deliver a post-Brexit dividend, and how will the UK's system change how subsidies are offered? With the bill having passed through the House of Commons and set to be scrutinised in the House of Lords, this Institute for Government panel will explore the opportunities – and risks – of setting up a bespoke post-Brexit state aid regime. While leaving the EU allows the UK's system to focus domestic concerns and government priorities like reaching net zero, a poorly designed system could mean poor regulation of subsidies and creating legal uncertainty. Will the new system provide the additional flexibility, freedom and certainty that the government has promised – or is it a recipe for confusion? And as the legislation is scrutinised in parliament, how can it be improved to ensure it delivers for UK governments, public bodies and businesses? On our panel to discuss these issues: Peter Foster, Public Policy Editor at the Financial Times George Peretz QC, Barrister at Monckton Chambers Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Rahat Siddique, Economist at the Confederation of British Industry The event began with a short presentation by Thomas Pope, summarising the new system and presenting initial conclusions on its effectiveness. The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

Having introduced a legally binding target to achieve net zero by 2050 and with the Environment Act – designed to enforce UK environmental standards – now on the statute book, the UK government is proud of its green achievements. But does the UK’s post-Brexit independent trade policy live up to its domestic environmental commitments? Earlier this year the UK agreed to omit references to temperature goals committed to in the Paris Agreement in order to secure a free trade agreement with Australia – an agreement which, on the government’s own analysis, will result in increased use of scarce natural resources and increased waste. So does the UK need to do more to position its environmental goals at the heart of its trade policy or would this hinder the UK’s ability to strike deals across the globe? Can trade policy help deliver positive gains for the environment? And should the UK government set out an overarching trade policy to bring consistency and coherence to its trade deals? To answer these questions, and to explore what goals UK trade policy is – or ought to be – serving, the Institute for Government was delighted to bring together an expert panel including: Sir Martin Donnelly, former Permanent Secretary for the Department for International Trade (DIT) and for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (now BEIS) Dmitry Grozoubinski, Director of ExplainTrade Anna Sands, Trade Policy Specialist at WWF UK Chris Southworth, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. #IfGTrade We would like to thank WWF UK for supporting this event.

Two years ago, Boris Johnson was elected on a promise to ‘get Brexit done’ and ‘level up’ the UK. Then Covid-19 struck and dominated government time, energy and resources. But with the worst of the crisis now passed, and with the UK having left the EU, where will ministers turn their attention in the second half of the parliament – and is the government well set up to deliver its priorities? Is Brexit really ‘done’? Do the government’s ‘net zero’ plans add up? Does more need to be done to support the post-pandemic economic recovery? And how will the government turn its flagship ‘levelling up’ slogan into reality? The Institute for Government was delighted to bring together the following expert panel to reveal the inner workings of government – and discuss whether Boris Johnson’s administration is well-placed to deliver its manifesto promises: Kelly Beaver, Chief Executive of Ipsos MORI Stephen Bush, Political Editor at the New Statesman Dan Corry, Chief Executive of New Philanthropy Capital and former Head of the No.10 Policy Unit Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank PA Consulting for supporting this event.

The UK’s two decade-long campaign in Afghanistan ended this summer with the withdrawal of British troops and diplomatic personnel from Kabul. A mission that began with the overthrow of the Taliban ended with the Taliban returning to power. What did the UK’s 20-year stay in Afghanistan accomplish? Should politicians or the military take the blame for its failures? And how should Afghans and the international community approach the next phase of Taliban rule? To discuss these questions the Institute for Government was delighted to bring together: Jack Straw, UK Foreign Secretary (2001–05) Hasina Safi, Afghanistan's acting Minister for Women (May 2020 – August 2021) Tobias Ellwood MP, Chair of the Commons Defence Select Committee The discussion was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome John Pullinger, Chair of the Electoral Commission, who was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. With voter ID, political party funding, and the abuse of candidates all in the spotlight, is enough being done to inspire the confidence of voters, parties and politicians in the electoral system? More than six months after becoming Chair of the Electoral Commission, John Pullinger discussed the challenges facing UK democracy and some of the changes voters might see in the months ahead. This in conversation event also explored issues relating to John Pullinger's previous role as National Statistician. John Pullinger was appointed Chair of the Electoral Commission in May 2021. Until 2019, he was the UK’s National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority. He has served as President of the Royal Statistical Society, Chair of the United Nations Statistical Commission, and Librarian and Director General for Information Services at the House of Commons. #IfGElections

The Institute for Government was pleased to welcome the Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow First Secretary of State, to deliver a keynote speech setting out how Labour would reform the systems that govern standards in public life. She was then in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. The row over Owen Paterson’s paid lobbying and the wider debate it has stimulated about MPs’ second jobs have again brought into the spotlight the systems designed to uphold ethical standards in public life. As well as the codes and institutions governing MPs, the rules about how ministers should behave and the processes that uphold these standards have been called into question. In her speech, Angela Rayner set out how Labour would redesign those rules, strengthen existing standards bodies and put new institutions in place to uphold standards in public life. Angela Rayner has been the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne since 2015. She holds a number of roles including: Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, Shadow Secretary of State for the Future of Work; Shadow Deputy Prime Minister; Shadow First Secretary of State and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.

What does it mean to be a member of parliament? What do people expect from their elected representatives? And how much have these expectations changed in recent years? The row about MPs’ second jobs has triggered a discussion about what MPs are for and what their priorities should be. From representing constituents and dealing with casework to scrutinising government and improving legislation, MPs have many responsibilities. So how should an MP divide his or her time? How has this changed over recent years? Should MPs be taking on extra paid work outside parliament? And what do constituents ultimately want from their representative? To discuss these questions and more, the IfG brought together an expert panel: Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary, University of London Sir Peter Bottomley, Conservative MP for Worthing West Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion Marie Le Conte, political journalist and author This event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. #IfGParliament

The use of data has been at the forefront of the government’s handling of Brexit shocks and the Covid-crisis. But how can data best be used to address government priorities such as net zero, “levelling up”, and tackling the social and economic scarring from the pandemic? This IfG event discussed how improvements can be made to the way governments identify data and use it to help make decisions. What have the experiences of Brexit and the pandemic revealed about the government’s use of data? What are the limits of data-driven decision making? How can governments better tap into external data expertise? On our panel to discuss these questions were: John Burn-Murdoch, Chief Data Reporter at the Financial Times Jane Duncan, Partner, Workforce Advisory, EY Niamh McKenna, Chief Information Officer at NHS Resolution Matt Warman MP, former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Digital Infrastructure The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Having 'taken back control’ of the UK border after Brexit, the government has ended free movement of people and introduced a new points-based immigration system. But 10 months on, the UK labour market is under pressure, with a combination of Covid-19, Brexit, and other structural forces causing widespread shortages of workers. To what extent has the new immigration regime contributed to these labour problems? Is the UK worse affected than other countries? Will there be longer-term benefits from the new immigration regime? Has Brexit made the UK more or less able to address labour market issues? And how is the government making the most of its new-found control? To discuss these issues, we were joined by an expert panel: Seema Farazi, Partner, Financial Services, Immigration and Brexit at EY Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Paul Wilson, Policy Director at the Federation of Small Businesses The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

How we are taxed will be crucial to how government pays for net zero. It can use the tax system to incentivise sustainable choices by businesses and consumers as well as disincentivise harmful ones. But government revenues will also fall as people and businesses adapt their behaviour to reduce carbon emissions, with the shift to electric vehicles set to eliminate fuel duties. So what changes are needed to ensure the tax system raises revenue to fund public interventions, redistributes the costs of getting to net zero, and shores up the tax take as fuel duties decline? This event was held after a busy autumn of net zero strategies, a budget and COP26. It asked how the government should adapt the tax system to reach net zero and whether the budget was a missed opportunity, look at the steps being taken in other countries, and set out how to overcome the barriers – political and otherwise – to reform. On our panel to discuss these issues: Rt Hon David Gauke, Head of Public Policy at Macfarlanes LLP and former Financial Secretary to the Treasury James Murray MP, Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change Amanda Tickel, Head of Tax & Trade Policy for Deloitte UK The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event is kindly supported by Deloitte LLP. #IfGnetzero

As part of our ongoing series of events on devolution and the Union, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome John Swinney MSP, the Deputy First Minister of Scotland. What is the state of the relationship between the UK and Scottish governments? How well is devolution working for Scotland? What are the current tensions in the devolved settlement and how can they be resolved? John Swinney, who is also Scotland’s cabinet minister for Covid recovery, gave a short speech before being in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, and programme lead for devolution. John Swinney has been an MSP since 1999, and currently represents Perthshire North. From 1998 to 2000, he served as deputy leader of the SNP, and then as party leader between 2000 and 2004. He has previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy, and as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. He has been Deputy First Minister since 2014. #IfGDevo

As part of our ongoing series of events on the future of devolution across the UK, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and leader of the West Midlands Combined Authority. Six months after his re-election to a second term in office, Andy Street – who was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government – discussed his role as a ‘metro mayor’, the constraints he faces in the role, and how metro mayors can help deliver the government’s levelling up and net zero objectives. Andy Street started his career at the John Lewis Partnership in 1985 as a trainee at Brent Cross and rose to become the managing director in 2007. He resigned in order to stand for election, and was successfully elected in May 2017 as the Conservative Mayor of the West Midlands. He was subsequently re-elected to this position in May 2021. #IfGDevo

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 24th in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Harry Lee, Deputy Director, Data Protection and Data Rights at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on the government's 'Data: a new direction' consultation. Selvin Brown MBE, Senior Responsible Officer – Net Zero Building Delivery at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and Alastair Vetch, Client Service Partner at Slalom, on establishing a culture of data-led policy delivery Brhmie Balaram, Head of AI Research & Ethics at NHSX AI Lab, on the work of the AI Ethics Initiative and the ethical questions it is addressing about the use of AI in health and care Toby Jolly, Grants Reporting and Analysis Lead at the Cabinet Office, on using automation to make government grantmaking more transparent. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. We took questions virtually during the event via the integrated event chat.

In the past year, the public appointments process has been in the public eye with allegations of politicisation. The process is much misunderstood and there is widespread uncertainty about the balance between the principles of fair and open competition and decision making by ministers. Is that balance now under threat? And what other roles should be formally regulated? What are the barriers to expanding the range of people serving on the boards of arms-length bodies? In the closing speech of our conference, Peter Riddell, who was the Commissioner for Public Appointments until September 2021, gave his thoughts on how the appointment process can be improved. Dr Matthew Gill, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, responded to Peter’s speech. This event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. #IfGstandards

The UK government has faced criticism over its approach to standards, but it is not the only government around the world – or even within the UK – grappling with these questions. With other governments taking different approaches to setting and upholding rules for standards in public life, this panel discussion will explore what the UK can learn about upholding standards from governments across the world, what role parliaments play in this process and whether standards need a stronger legislative basis. We were joined by: Mario Dion, Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner of the Canadian Parliament Duncan Hames, Director of Policy Transparency International UK Dr Melissa McCullough, Commissioner for Standards at the Northern Ireland assembly This event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGstandards

Various codes of conduct and constitutional guides – including the ministerial code – set standards for those in public life. However, events throughout 2021 have raised questions about whether the rules, and the various bodies that enforce them, are robust enough to uphold expected standards of behaviour. So how can the various standards watchdogs hold ministers, officials and others to account for their behaviour in public life? Are current sanction sufficient? Should these bodies have greater legal powers and more independence from government? To discuss all this and we were joined by: Chris Bryant MP, Chair of the Committee on Standards and Privileges Dame Shirley Pearce DBE, Member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life Lord Pickles, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) This event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. #IfGstandards

The Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) is an independent body which advises the prime minister on arrangements for upholding ethical standards of conduct across public life. The committee’s latest review, Standards Matter 2, has been examining the institutions, processes and structures in place to support high standards of conduct. Following the publication of the review’s final report, Upholding Standards in Public Life, on 1 November, Lord Evans, Chair of the CSPL, set out the committee’s suggestions for improving standards in government in an opening keynote. This event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. #IfGstandards

The Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto promised an ambitious plan for connecting towns and cities by road and rail and supporting electric vehicles, cycling and walking. But what evidence will the government use to shape its transport strategy and how can it ensure the system is customer-focused? How has England’s transport network held up under the dual pressures of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic? And how can a transport strategy support net zero goals? Following recent research from the Institute for Government and the Gatsby Foundation, which analysed the use of evidence in transport policy in the UK and compared it to four other countries, the IfG was delighted to bring together an expert panel to discuss whether England needs a single transport strategy, the challenges involved in putting such a strategy in place, and how the system can be resilient to shocks and crises whilst reducing carbon emissions and keeping the focus on user experience. On our panel to discuss these issues were: Lord Adonis, former Secretary of State for Transport Sue Kershaw, Managing Director for Transportation at Costain and APM President Bridget Rosewell CBE, Commissioner on the National Infrastructure Commission Martin Tugwell, Chief Executive at Transport for the North The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Costain for kindly supporting this event.

From targeted social media campaigns during elections to the introduction of the Covid-19 test and trace app, questions about our data – and how it is used – are at the heart of political decision making and debate. With Elizabeth Denham’s five-year term as information commissioner ending on 31 October, this Institute for Government event looked back at her time in post – and looked ahead to future challenges, and opportunities, for data use and protection. In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute of Government, Elizabeth Denham discussed the questions of freedom of information and transparency raised during the pandemic, how data can be shared responsibly and lead to digital transformation of public services, and how countries around the world can work together to meet digital threats. Elizabeth Denham was appointed UK Information Commissioner in July 2016, having previously held the position of Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, Canada and Assistant Privacy Commissioner of Canada. She was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in Queen's New Year's Honours list in 2018.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/david-nabarro

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/david-nabarro

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/david-nabarro

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/david-nabarro

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/david-nabarro

As the World Health Organization’s Special Envoy on Covid-19, Dr David Nabarro has played a leading role in the international response to the pandemic. In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, he discussed the international community’s handling of the crisis – from the initial outbreak in early 2020, to public health measures used to curb transmission, to current vaccination programmes. As the international vaccine rollout continues, but with high numbers of Covid-19 cases across the world, Professor Nabarro also set out how countries can best manage this phase of the pandemic – and what needs to be done to ensure we are better prepared in the future. David Nabarro is co-director and chair of Global Health at Imperial College London’s Institute of Global Health Innovation and strategic director of 4SD. In March 2020 he was appointed Special Envoy of WHO Director-General on Covid-19. He has over 40 years of experience in international public health as a community-based practitioner, educator, public servant, director and diplomat. He was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for work on international public health in 1992.

With a week to go until Rishi Sunak sets out his multi-year spending review, the chancellor faces difficult decisions about how to fund public services. The pandemic has hit services hard. Children have lost hours of learning, waiting times for court cases are longer, and a backlog for operations has built up. So what spending choices must Sunak make? What is the pandemic’s impact on spending, staff, and service performance? And where might pressures intensify in the next three years? As the Institute for Government and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy launch the sixth edition of Performance Tracker – a data-driven analysis of the performance of key public services in England, including prisons, hospitals, schools, police and adult social care – its lead author Graham Atkins, Associate Director at the Institute for Government, presented the key findings. To discuss, our panel included: Justine Greening, former Secretary of State for Education and former Economic Secretary to the Treasury Anoosh Chakelian, Britain Editor at the New Statesman Mike Driver CB, President of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government, with an introduction by Jeffrey Matsu, Chief Economist at CIPFA. We would like to thank the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) for supporting this event.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/gavin-barwell-chief-staff

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/gavin-barwell-chief-staff

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/gavin-barwell-chief-staff

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/gavin-barwell-chief-staff

As Theresa May’s chief of staff from 2017 to 2019, Gavin Barwell had a front row seat for the Brexit dramas, deals and deadlines that defined May’s premiership. Brought into Number 10 after May lost her majority at the 2017 general election, Barwell battled alongside the former prime minister through meaningful votes, cabinet resignations and moments of high parliamentary drama. But what exactly does a chief of staff do? What lessons should be learnt from May’s time in Number 10? And just how dysfunctional is the centre of power? To mark the publication of Chief of Staff: Notes from Downing Street, Gavin Barwell was in conversation with the Institute for Government’s Dr Catherine Haddon.

COP26 has been called the “last best chance” for the world to avoid catastrophic climate change, and the UK has an opportunity to broker a landmark agreement. But turning months of preparation into an ambitious deal won’t be easy. Success will depend not only on diplomatic skill but on leading by example in demonstrating how to achieve a transition to net zero. With less than a month until the conference, what are the potential sticking points in negotiations? And what must the UK do to ensure that the COP26 is a success? On our panel to discuss these questions: Allegra Stratton, Prime Minister's spokesperson for the COP26 conference James Close, Head of Climate Centre of Excellence and Environment at NatWest Group Simon Eaves, CEO for Accenture in the UK and Ireland Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency and interim Chair of the Green Finance Institute The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Accenture for kindly supporting this event.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/getting-cities-to-net-zero

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/getting-cities-to-net-zero

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/getting-cities-to-net-zero

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/getting-cities-to-net-zero

Hitting the UK’s net zero target depends on the transformation of the UK’s cities. Many had already declared climate emergencies and set ambitious emissions targets before the pandemic, while big changes in the last 18 months – less commuting, more walking and cycling – have had big implications for urban areas. But to help people permanently shift to low-carbon lifestyles requires local leaders to develop long-term approaches to infrastructure, taxes and regulations. What needs to be done to ensure long-term transformation? Which pandemic-enforced changes should remain in place? How can cities and central government work together to make progress towards net zero? On our panel to discuss these questions: Baroness Blake of Leeds, Shadow Spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government and former Leader of Leeds City Council Professor Hayley Fowler, Professor of Climate Change Impacts in the School of Engineering at Newcastle University Christopher Hammond, Network Membership Director, UK100 Steve Turner, Director, Devolved and Local Government at Connected Places Catapult The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government, with opening remarks by Giles Clifford, Partner at Gowling WLG. We would like to thank Gowling WLG for supporting this event.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 23rd in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Or Lenchner, CEO of Bright Data, presenting lessons learned from how the commercial world draws insight from online public data Andrew Engeli, Deputy Director for Environmental Monitoring for Health Protection at the UK Health Security Agency, on the challenges of developing novel data sources in the context of the pandemic response Bethan Charnley, Head of National Data Strategy Implementation at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on monitoring and evaluating the National Data Strategy Patrick Royce, Energy Engineer at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on the My2050 Calculator for exploring pathways to net zero The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

Science has played a key role in the Covid crisis, and the pandemic has shone a light on the way government accesses, uses and communicates scientific evidence and data. This panel discussed the lessons learned and how the government can use science effectively to achieve its aim of making the UK a “science superpower”. This event was part of the IfG's fringe events programme at the 2021 Conservative Party Conference in Manchester. Speakers: Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Chair of the Science and Technology Select Committee Polly Toynbee, Columnist at The Guardian Professor Ian Walmsley FRS, Provost at Imperial College London Sir Mark Walport, Fellow at the Royal Society This event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. Kindly supported by Imperial College London and the Royal Society.

Homes produce 15% of the UK’s emissions, and little progress has been made on decarbonising their energy use. The UK needs local solutions to this problem. But local governments lack the resources, powers and capabilities needed. We considered the roles of central and local government, and how to drive progress towards the UK’s net zero goals. This event was part of the IfG's fringe events programme at the 2021 Conservative Party Conference in Manchester. Speakers: Lord Callanan, Minister for Business, Energy and Corporate Responsibility Joss Clarke, Director of External Affairs at SGN Laura Sandys, Chair of the Energy Digitalisation Taskforce Councillor Dan Watkins, Deputy Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport for Kent County Council This event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. Kindly supported by SGN.

Growing waiting lists, staff burnout, and a social care system in urgent need of reform. With a spending review imminent, this event discussed spending pressures on health and care, how to pay for them, and whether the government will be able to meet its pledges to build 40 new hospitals and recruit tens of thousands of nurses, doctors, and GPs. This event was part of the IfG's fringe events programme at the 2021 Conservative Party Conference in Manchester. Speakers: Paul Bristow MP, Member of the Health and Social Care Committee Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research and the REAL Centre at the Health Foundation Sarah Neville, Global Health Editor at the Financial Times Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Graham Atkins, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. Kindly supported by the Health Foundation.

Coronavirus has led to the rapid adoption of technologies that have been contemplated for years but had not been widely used before the crisis. There has been a fundamental shift towards delivering services remotely, such as school lessons, NHS appointments, and court hearings being conducted via video, telephone and text messages. Without this, many services would have ground to a halt. What impact has the increased use of technology had on the quality, efficiency and accessibility of public services? This event was part of the IfG's fringe events programme at the 2021 Conservative Party Conference in Manchester. Speakers: Matt Warman MP, Former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at DCMS Syma Cullasy-Aldridge, Director of External Affairs and Growth at PUBLIC Professor Martin Marshall, Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners Council Elaine Whyte, Partner PA Consulting This event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Kindly supported by PA Consulting.

The government thinks that investing in major energy, transport and infrastructure projects can help 'level up' the UK. Can it? What would a national transport or energy investment strategy to achieve 'levelling up' look like? How can government get the balance right between mega-project investment and incremental improvement? Are there successes it can learn from? This event was part of the IfG's fringe events programme at the 2021 Conservative Party Conference in Manchester. Speakers: Baroness Vere of Norbiton, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport Ben Bradley MP, Member of Parliament for Mansfield, Nottinghamshire Julian Glover, Writer and infrastructure adviser Maria Machancoses, Chief Executive Officer at Midlands Connect This event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Kindly supported by Midlands Connect.

‘Levelling up’ is one of the government’s main priorities. There are big differences in health between different parts of the country and improving health may be one of the most effective ways to boost the economy. This event explored how improving health can improve economic performance and what policies are most likely to achieve this. This event was part of the IfG's fringe events programme at the 2021 Conservative Party Conference in Manchester. Speakers: Jake Berry MP, Chairman of the Northern Research Group and former Minister of State for the Northern Powerhouse Jo Bibby, Director of Health at the Health Foundation Caitlin Doherty, Westminster Correspondent at the Yorkshire Post Edleen John, Director for International Relations, Corporate Affairs, and Co-Partner for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the Football Association This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. Kindly supported by the Health Foundation.

Departmental boards were introduced to bring private sector oversight into central government departments. But how are people appointed as departmental non-executive directors? What experience do they bring? And what advice do they give to ministers? A recent Institute for Government report exposed how the system lacks transparency and is inconsistently applied. Ministers can appoint non-executive directors without due process, and the influence of a department’s board depends on whether a minister chooses to engage with it or not. So what can be done to make more use of board members’ expertise? What changes could help boards to improve departmental performance? What can be done to improve the transparency of board appointments? To discuss these questions, the Institute for Government is delighted to bring together an expert panel: Sue Langley, lead non-executive director for the Home Office and former interim government lead non-executive Sir David Lidington, former Secretary of State for Justice, Leader of the House of Commons and Minister for the Cabinet Office Dame Una O’Brien, former Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health Miranda Curtis, Director at Liberty Global and former lead non-executive director for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office The event will be chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Growing waiting lists, staff burnout, and a social care system in urgent need of reform. With a spending review imminent, this event discussed spending pressures on health and care, how to pay for them, and whether the government will be able to meet its pledges to build 40 new hospitals and recruit tens of thousands of nurses, doctors, and GPs. This event is part of the IfG's fringe events programme at the 2021 Labour Party Conference in Brighton. Speakers: Justin Madders MP, Shadow Minister for Secondary Care, Workforce and Patient Health Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research and REAL Centre at the Health Foundation Sarah Neville, Global Health Editor at the Financial Times Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Graham Atkins, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. Kindly supported by the Health Foundation.

The coronavirus crisis has brought data into government decision making like never before. From the contact tracing app to the A Level algorithm fiasco it has brought the use of personal data to the fore. Central and local government are investing in data platforms and automated decision making and artificial intelligence systems – and increasingly wondering how data from the private and charitable sectors can help. What does all this mean for how government operates? How can the better use of data help with the post-Covid economic recovery and what are the benefits and risks of governments, companies and charities with more data at their fingertips? This event was part of the IfG's fringe events programme at the 2021 Labour Party Conference in Brighton. Speakers: Darren Jones MP, Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee Richard Earley, UK Public Policy Manager at Facebook Genevieve Maitland Hudson, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Social Investment Business Olivier Thereaux, Head of Research and Development at the Open Data Institute This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate of the Institute for Government. Kindly supported by Facebook.

Coronavirus has led to the rapid adoption of technologies that have been contemplated for years but had not been widely used before the crisis. There has been a fundamental shift towards delivering services remotely, such as school lessons, NHS appointments, and court hearings being conducted via video, telephone and text messages. Without this, many services would have ground to a halt. What impact has the increased use of technology had on the quality, efficiency and accessibility of public services? This event was part of the IfG's fringe events programme at the 2021 Labour Party Conference in Brighton. Speakers: • Chi Onwurah MP, Shadow Minister for Science, Research and Digital • Steve Black, Chief Analyst, askmyGP • Penelope Gibbs, Director of Transform Justice • Elaine Whyte, Partner at PA Consulting This event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Kindly supported by PA Consulting.

Science has played a key role in the Covid crisis, and the pandemic has shone a light on the way government accesses, uses and communicates scientific evidence and data. This panel discussed the lessons learned and how the government can use science effectively to achieve its aim of making the UK a “science superpower”. This event was part of the IfG's fringe events programme at the 2021 Labour Party Conference in Brighton. Speakers: Ayesha Hazarika, broadcaster and political commentator Professor Mary Ryan FREng, Interim Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) at Imperial College London Sir Mark Walport, Fellow at The Royal Society and chair of the Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre This event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. Kindly supported by Imperial College London and the Royal Society.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/levelling-up-or-catching-up-what-next-for-public-services

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/levelling-up-or-catching-up-what-next-for-public-services

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/levelling-up-or-catching-up-what-next-for-public-services

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/levelling-up-or-catching-up-what-next-for-public-services

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/levelling-up-or-catching-up-what-next-for-public-services

The pandemic has hit public services hard, creating backlogs - from children missing out on school lessons, to cancelled hospital operations and unheard court cases – and leaving local authorities facing budget shortfalls. But as the government focuses on post-pandemic economic recovery, its priority is to ‘level up’ parts of the country which have fallen behind in terms of economic growth, opportunity, and wellbeing. With limited resources, how can public services both address backlogs and ‘level up’? Has the pandemic made levelling up harder for public services? How, if at all, can public services contribute to levelling up? What should the government do to help them both catch-up and level-up? To discuss these questions and more, the IfG was delighted to host an expert panel including: Baroness Armstrong, Chair of the House of Lords Public Services Committee Saffron Cordery, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Providers Georgina Cox, Partner at PA Consulting Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First and former Education and Innovation Adviser to David Cameron. The event was chaired by Graham Atkins, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank PA Consulting for kindly supporting this event.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/rail-reform What is Great British Railways? How will it end rail industry fragmentation? And how can it deliver a rail network that works for customers, taxpayers, politicians, and the wider public? The new organisation is at the heart of the William-Shapps Plan for Rail, which reported in May. Keith Williams, Chair of the Review, describes the British railway network as a “complex Rubik’s cube” and says Great British Railways should be a central ‘guiding mind’ in a reformed rail system. This event explored how to make a reformed rail network work for Great Britain’s long-term post-pandemic future, drawing on lessons from previous attempts at reshaping the rail industry and experiences of setting up arms-length bodies elsewhere. Our panel: Keith Williams, independent Chair of the Williams Review The Rt Hon. the Lord Darling of Roulanish, former Secretary of State for Transport and former Chancellor of the Exchequer Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect Andy Bagnall, Director General of the Rail Delivery Group The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. We are grateful to The Rail Delivery Group for their support with this event.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/rail-reform What is Great British Railways? How will it end rail industry fragmentation? And how can it deliver a rail network that works for customers, taxpayers, politicians, and the wider public? The new organisation is at the heart of the William-Shapps Plan for Rail, which reported in May. Keith Williams, Chair of the Review, describes the British railway network as a “complex Rubik’s cube” and says Great British Railways should be a central ‘guiding mind’ in a reformed rail system. This event explored how to make a reformed rail network work for Great Britain’s long-term post-pandemic future, drawing on lessons from previous attempts at reshaping the rail industry and experiences of setting up arms-length bodies elsewhere. Our panel: Keith Williams, independent Chair of the Williams Review The Rt Hon. the Lord Darling of Roulanish, former Secretary of State for Transport and former Chancellor of the Exchequer Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect Andy Bagnall, Director General of the Rail Delivery Group The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. We are grateful to The Rail Delivery Group for their support with this event.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/rail-reform What is Great British Railways? How will it end rail industry fragmentation? And how can it deliver a rail network that works for customers, taxpayers, politicians, and the wider public? The new organisation is at the heart of the William-Shapps Plan for Rail, which reported in May. Keith Williams, Chair of the Review, describes the British railway network as a “complex Rubik’s cube” and says Great British Railways should be a central ‘guiding mind’ in a reformed rail system. This event explored how to make a reformed rail network work for Great Britain’s long-term post-pandemic future, drawing on lessons from previous attempts at reshaping the rail industry and experiences of setting up arms-length bodies elsewhere. Our panel: Keith Williams, independent Chair of the Williams Review The Rt Hon. the Lord Darling of Roulanish, former Secretary of State for Transport and former Chancellor of the Exchequer Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect Andy Bagnall, Director General of the Rail Delivery Group The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. We are grateful to The Rail Delivery Group for their support with this event.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/rail-reform What is Great British Railways? How will it end rail industry fragmentation? And how can it deliver a rail network that works for customers, taxpayers, politicians, and the wider public? The new organisation is at the heart of the William-Shapps Plan for Rail, which reported in May. Keith Williams, Chair of the Review, describes the British railway network as a “complex Rubik’s cube” and says Great British Railways should be a central ‘guiding mind’ in a reformed rail system. This event explored how to make a reformed rail network work for Great Britain’s long-term post-pandemic future, drawing on lessons from previous attempts at reshaping the rail industry and experiences of setting up arms-length bodies elsewhere. Our panel: Keith Williams, independent Chair of the Williams Review The Rt Hon. the Lord Darling of Roulanish, former Secretary of State for Transport and former Chancellor of the Exchequer Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect Andy Bagnall, Director General of the Rail Delivery Group The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. We are grateful to The Rail Delivery Group for their support with this event.

What is Great British Railways? How will it end rail industry fragmentation? And how can it deliver a rail network that works for customers, taxpayers, politicians, and the wider public? The new organisation is at the heart of the William-Shapps Plan for Rail, which reported in May. Keith Williams, Chair of the Review, describes the British railway network as a “complex Rubik’s cube” and says Great British Railways should be a central ‘guiding mind’ in a reformed rail system. This event explored how to make a reformed rail network work for Great Britain’s long-term post-pandemic future, drawing on lessons from previous attempts at reshaping the rail industry and experiences of setting up arms-length bodies elsewhere. Our panel: Keith Williams, independent Chair of the Williams Review The Rt Hon. the Lord Darling of Roulanish, former Secretary of State for Transport and former Chancellor of the Exchequer Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect Andy Bagnall, Director General of the Rail Delivery Group The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. We are grateful to The Rail Delivery Group for their support with this event.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/net-zero-how-government-can-decarbonise-homes Decarbonising homes will be among the most difficult elements of reaching net zero. Homes account for 15% of the UK’s total emissions, yet there has been little progress towards reducing these over the past decade. Confidence has been damaged by repeated U-turns and policy failures, including the Green Deal and the Green Homes Grant. Achieving net zero by 2050 will require a huge national programme to deliver the infrastructure needed to reduce residential emissions – retrofitting homes, installing heat pumps and developing local heat networks. The government, businesses and consumers all have key roles to play. But how should the government approach policy making in this area? Will the long overdue Heat and Buildings Strategy be worth the wait and offer a clear plan? How can previous policy failures be learnt from? And how can we ensure the UK’s infrastructure is ready to support zero-emission homes? On our panel to discuss these issues was: Lord Callanan, Minister for Business, Energy & Corporate Responsibility at BEIS Chris Burchell, Managing Director, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution Gillian Cooper, Head of Energy Policy at Citizens Advice Guy Newey, Director of Strategy and Performance at the Energy Systems Catapult This event was chaired by Marcus Shepheard, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution for supporting this event.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/net-zero-how-government-can-decarbonise-homes Decarbonising homes will be among the most difficult elements of reaching net zero. Homes account for 15% of the UK’s total emissions, yet there has been little progress towards reducing these over the past decade. Confidence has been damaged by repeated U-turns and policy failures, including the Green Deal and the Green Homes Grant. Achieving net zero by 2050 will require a huge national programme to deliver the infrastructure needed to reduce residential emissions – retrofitting homes, installing heat pumps and developing local heat networks. The government, businesses and consumers all have key roles to play. But how should the government approach policy making in this area? Will the long overdue Heat and Buildings Strategy be worth the wait and offer a clear plan? How can previous policy failures be learnt from? And how can we ensure the UK’s infrastructure is ready to support zero-emission homes? On our panel to discuss these issues was: Lord Callanan, Minister for Business, Energy & Corporate Responsibility at BEIS Chris Burchell, Managing Director, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution Gillian Cooper, Head of Energy Policy at Citizens Advice Guy Newey, Director of Strategy and Performance at the Energy Systems Catapult This event was chaired by Marcus Shepheard, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution for supporting this event.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/net-zero-how-government-can-decarbonise-homes Decarbonising homes will be among the most difficult elements of reaching net zero. Homes account for 15% of the UK’s total emissions, yet there has been little progress towards reducing these over the past decade. Confidence has been damaged by repeated U-turns and policy failures, including the Green Deal and the Green Homes Grant. Achieving net zero by 2050 will require a huge national programme to deliver the infrastructure needed to reduce residential emissions – retrofitting homes, installing heat pumps and developing local heat networks. The government, businesses and consumers all have key roles to play. But how should the government approach policy making in this area? Will the long overdue Heat and Buildings Strategy be worth the wait and offer a clear plan? How can previous policy failures be learnt from? And how can we ensure the UK’s infrastructure is ready to support zero-emission homes? On our panel to discuss these issues was: Lord Callanan, Minister for Business, Energy & Corporate Responsibility at BEIS Chris Burchell, Managing Director, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution Gillian Cooper, Head of Energy Policy at Citizens Advice Guy Newey, Director of Strategy and Performance at the Energy Systems Catapult This event was chaired by Marcus Shepheard, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution for supporting this event.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/net-zero-how-government-can-decarbonise-homes Decarbonising homes will be among the most difficult elements of reaching net zero. Homes account for 15% of the UK’s total emissions, yet there has been little progress towards reducing these over the past decade. Confidence has been damaged by repeated U-turns and policy failures, including the Green Deal and the Green Homes Grant. Achieving net zero by 2050 will require a huge national programme to deliver the infrastructure needed to reduce residential emissions – retrofitting homes, installing heat pumps and developing local heat networks. The government, businesses and consumers all have key roles to play. But how should the government approach policy making in this area? Will the long overdue Heat and Buildings Strategy be worth the wait and offer a clear plan? How can previous policy failures be learnt from? And how can we ensure the UK’s infrastructure is ready to support zero-emission homes? On our panel to discuss these issues was: Lord Callanan, Minister for Business, Energy & Corporate Responsibility at BEIS Chris Burchell, Managing Director, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution Gillian Cooper, Head of Energy Policy at Citizens Advice Guy Newey, Director of Strategy and Performance at the Energy Systems Catapult This event was chaired by Marcus Shepheard, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution for supporting this event.

Decarbonising homes will be among the most difficult elements of reaching net zero. Homes account for 15% of the UK’s total emissions, yet there has been little progress towards reducing these over the past decade. Confidence has been damaged by repeated U-turns and policy failures, including the Green Deal and the Green Homes Grant. Achieving net zero by 2050 will require a huge national programme to deliver the infrastructure needed to reduce residential emissions – retrofitting homes, installing heat pumps and developing local heat networks. The government, businesses and consumers all have key roles to play. But how should the government approach policy making in this area? Will the long overdue Heat and Buildings Strategy be worth the wait and offer a clear plan? How can previous policy failures be learnt from? And how can we ensure the UK’s infrastructure is ready to support zero-emission homes? On our panel to discuss these issues was: Lord Callanan, Minister for Business, Energy & Corporate Responsibility at BEIS Chris Burchell, Managing Director, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution Gillian Cooper, Head of Energy Policy at Citizens Advice Guy Newey, Director of Strategy and Performance at the Energy Systems Catapult This event was chaired by Marcus Shepheard, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution for supporting this event.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/amanda-spielman-ofsted From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/amanda-spielman-ofsted From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/amanda-spielman-ofsted From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/amanda-spielman-ofsted From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

To listen to the full conversation visit: https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/amanda-spielman-ofsted From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

From closed schools to postponed exams, isolating teachers to bursting classroom bubbles, the last 18 months of education has been massively disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. What can be done to help those students that have fallen behind? How can the gaps in attainment be bridged? And what lessons has lockdown taught us about education? To discuss the challenges facing the education system in the next phase of the pandemic and Ofsted's role in the new academic year and beyond, Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills, was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Amanda Spielman has been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. From 2005 she was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools. Previously she worked at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/will-supply-chain-problems-get-worse From disrupted supply chains to a shortage of lorry drivers, Brexit and Covid have combined to cause major problems at the UK border. Nando’s, McDonald’s and the Co-op are just three of the firms to have been affected. As pandemic-related travel problems continue, the true impact of post-Brexit border rules has yet to hit. Full border checks on EU imports to Great Britain will only come into effect later this year, while extensive controls on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland may be introduced in the autumn. Businesses and individuals are currently left in limbo as negotiations between the UK and EU continue over how the Northern Ireland protocol will operate long-term. Will border disruption worsen as the year goes on? How ready are business and government for the introduction of new controls? Is the UK’s new immigration to blame for staffing issues? And what more can done to solve existing problems and prepare for further changes. To discuss these issues, we were joined by an expert panel: William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce Elly Darkin, Senior Associate at Global Counsel Julian Jessop, Economics Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs Ian Wright, Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation. The event was chaired by Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/will-supply-chain-problems-get-worse From disrupted supply chains to a shortage of lorry drivers, Brexit and Covid have combined to cause major problems at the UK border. Nando’s, McDonald’s and the Co-op are just three of the firms to have been affected. As pandemic-related travel problems continue, the true impact of post-Brexit border rules has yet to hit. Full border checks on EU imports to Great Britain will only come into effect later this year, while extensive controls on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland may be introduced in the autumn. Businesses and individuals are currently left in limbo as negotiations between the UK and EU continue over how the Northern Ireland protocol will operate long-term. Will border disruption worsen as the year goes on? How ready are business and government for the introduction of new controls? Is the UK’s new immigration to blame for staffing issues? And what more can done to solve existing problems and prepare for further changes. To discuss these issues, we were joined by an expert panel: William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce Elly Darkin, Senior Associate at Global Counsel Julian Jessop, Economics Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs Ian Wright, Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation. The event was chaired by Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/will-supply-chain-problems-get-worse From disrupted supply chains to a shortage of lorry drivers, Brexit and Covid have combined to cause major problems at the UK border. Nando’s, McDonald’s and the Co-op are just three of the firms to have been affected. As pandemic-related travel problems continue, the true impact of post-Brexit border rules has yet to hit. Full border checks on EU imports to Great Britain will only come into effect later this year, while extensive controls on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland may be introduced in the autumn. Businesses and individuals are currently left in limbo as negotiations between the UK and EU continue over how the Northern Ireland protocol will operate long-term. Will border disruption worsen as the year goes on? How ready are business and government for the introduction of new controls? Is the UK’s new immigration to blame for staffing issues? And what more can done to solve existing problems and prepare for further changes. To discuss these issues, we were joined by an expert panel: William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce Elly Darkin, Senior Associate at Global Counsel Julian Jessop, Economics Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs Ian Wright, Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation. The event was chaired by Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/will-supply-chain-problems-get-worse From disrupted supply chains to a shortage of lorry drivers, Brexit and Covid have combined to cause major problems at the UK border. Nando’s, McDonald’s and the Co-op are just three of the firms to have been affected. As pandemic-related travel problems continue, the true impact of post-Brexit border rules has yet to hit. Full border checks on EU imports to Great Britain will only come into effect later this year, while extensive controls on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland may be introduced in the autumn. Businesses and individuals are currently left in limbo as negotiations between the UK and EU continue over how the Northern Ireland protocol will operate long-term. Will border disruption worsen as the year goes on? How ready are business and government for the introduction of new controls? Is the UK’s new immigration to blame for staffing issues? And what more can done to solve existing problems and prepare for further changes. To discuss these issues, we were joined by an expert panel: William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce Elly Darkin, Senior Associate at Global Counsel Julian Jessop, Economics Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs Ian Wright, Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation. The event was chaired by Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/will-supply-chain-problems-get-worse From disrupted supply chains to a shortage of lorry drivers, Brexit and Covid have combined to cause major problems at the UK border. Nando’s, McDonald’s and the Co-op are just three of the firms to have been affected. As pandemic-related travel problems continue, the true impact of post-Brexit border rules has yet to hit. Full border checks on EU imports to Great Britain will only come into effect later this year, while extensive controls on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland may be introduced in the autumn. Businesses and individuals are currently left in limbo as negotiations between the UK and EU continue over how the Northern Ireland protocol will operate long-term. Will border disruption worsen as the year goes on? How ready are business and government for the introduction of new controls? Is the UK’s new immigration to blame for staffing issues? And what more can done to solve existing problems and prepare for further changes. To discuss these issues, we were joined by an expert panel: William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce Elly Darkin, Senior Associate at Global Counsel Julian Jessop, Economics Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs Ian Wright, Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation. The event was chaired by Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

From disrupted supply chains to a shortage of lorry drivers, Brexit and Covid have combined to cause major problems at the UK border. Nando’s, McDonald’s and the Co-op are just three of the firms to have been affected. As pandemic-related travel problems continue, the true impact of post-Brexit border rules has yet to hit. Full border checks on EU imports to Great Britain will only come into effect later this year, while extensive controls on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland may be introduced in the autumn. Businesses and individuals are currently left in limbo as negotiations between the UK and EU continue over how the Northern Ireland protocol will operate long-term. Will border disruption worsen as the year goes on? How ready are business and government for the introduction of new controls? Is the UK’s new immigration to blame for staffing issues? And what more can done to solve existing problems and prepare for further changes. To discuss these issues, we were joined by an expert panel: William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce Elly Darkin, Senior Associate at Global Counsel Julian Jessop, Economics Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs Ian Wright, Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation. The event was chaired by Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

Please note that at 25:24 minutes into the recording, the speaker intended to say "when we went to ADR UK" instead of "when we went to HDR UK". We were excited to announce another online-only Data Bites event.  We took questions virtually during the event via the integrated event chat. Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 22nd in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Ruth Gilbert, Epidemiologist, University College London and Co-Director of the NIHR Children and Families Policy Research Unit, on the potential for the ECHILD Database to inform policy in health, education and social care Gary Connell, Head of Data Ownership and Data Sharing at the Department for Education, on widening access to, and maximising the benefit of, Longitudinal Educational Outcomes data for England Morag Treanor, Professor of Child and Family Inequalities at Heriot-Watt University, on linking data to better understand children’s lives and outcomes Robert French, Senior Research Fellow at the School of Medicine, Cardiff University, on data linkage and Type 1 diabetes data for children The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/in-conversation-with-louise-casey The pandemic has exposed weaknesses in the way Britain supports its poorest families – and also strengths. What should the government learn from the last 18 months and what opportunities for reform can it seize? The Second World War led to the Beveridge report and the creation of the welfare state and the NHS; can the pandemic also galvanise radical change? An adviser to successive governments, most recently as the chair of the government’s Covid-19 rough sleeping taskforce, Baroness Casey is now calling for major reform in the way governments tackle hunger, rough sleeping and poverty. She was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government Baroness Casey has previously run the Rough Sleepers Unit, the Respect Task Force and the Troubled Families Unit. She also chaired this government’s Covid-19 rough sleeping taskforce.

The pandemic has exposed weaknesses in the way Britain supports its poorest families – and also strengths. What should the government learn from the last 18 months and what opportunities for reform can it seize? The Second World War led to the Beveridge report and the creation of the welfare state and the NHS; can the pandemic also galvanise radical change? An adviser to successive governments, most recently as the chair of the government’s Covid-19 rough sleeping taskforce, Baroness Casey is now calling for major reform in the way governments tackle hunger, rough sleeping and poverty. She was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government Baroness Casey has previously run the Rough Sleepers Unit, the Respect Task Force and the Troubled Families Unit. She also chaired this government’s Covid-19 rough sleeping taskforce.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/in-conversation-with-neil-ferguson As one of the UK’s top epidemiologists and the head of the influential modelling group at Imperial College London, Neil Ferguson has played a critical role in providing advice during the Covid-19 crisis, as well as previous crises including foot and mouth. In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, Professor Ferguson discussed the lessons he has learned about advising government, the role of scientific modelling in informing decision making and how scientists should communicate with the public. He also assessed the latest Covid-19 data, and what measures may need to be taken in the weeks and months ahead. Professor Neil Ferguson is head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology in the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/in-conversation-with-neil-ferguson As one of the UK’s top epidemiologists and the head of the influential modelling group at Imperial College London, Neil Ferguson has played a critical role in providing advice during the Covid-19 crisis, as well as previous crises including foot and mouth. In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, Professor Ferguson discussed the lessons he has learned about advising government, the role of scientific modelling in informing decision making and how scientists should communicate with the public. He also assessed the latest Covid-19 data, and what measures may need to be taken in the weeks and months ahead. Professor Neil Ferguson is head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology in the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/in-conversation-with-neil-ferguson As one of the UK’s top epidemiologists and the head of the influential modelling group at Imperial College London, Neil Ferguson has played a critical role in providing advice during the Covid-19 crisis, as well as previous crises including foot and mouth. In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, Professor Ferguson discussed the lessons he has learned about advising government, the role of scientific modelling in informing decision making and how scientists should communicate with the public. He also assessed the latest Covid-19 data, and what measures may need to be taken in the weeks and months ahead. Professor Neil Ferguson is head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology in the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/in-conversation-with-neil-ferguson As one of the UK’s top epidemiologists and the head of the influential modelling group at Imperial College London, Neil Ferguson has played a critical role in providing advice during the Covid-19 crisis, as well as previous crises including foot and mouth. In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, Professor Ferguson discussed the lessons he has learned about advising government, the role of scientific modelling in informing decision making and how scientists should communicate with the public. He also assessed the latest Covid-19 data, and what measures may need to be taken in the weeks and months ahead. Professor Neil Ferguson is head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology in the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/in-conversation-with-neil-ferguson As one of the UK’s top epidemiologists and the head of the influential modelling group at Imperial College London, Neil Ferguson has played a critical role in providing advice during the Covid-19 crisis, as well as previous crises including foot and mouth. In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, Professor Ferguson discussed the lessons he has learned about advising government, the role of scientific modelling in informing decision making and how scientists should communicate with the public. He also assessed the latest Covid-19 data, and what measures may need to be taken in the weeks and months ahead. Professor Neil Ferguson is head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology in the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/in-conversation-with-neil-ferguson As one of the UK’s top epidemiologists and the head of the influential modelling group at Imperial College London, Neil Ferguson has played a critical role in providing advice during the Covid-19 crisis, as well as previous crises including foot and mouth. In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, Professor Ferguson discussed the lessons he has learned about advising government, the role of scientific modelling in informing decision making and how scientists should communicate with the public. He also assessed the latest Covid-19 data, and what measures may need to be taken in the weeks and months ahead. Professor Neil Ferguson is head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology in the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.

To listen to the full conversation visit https://soundcloud.com/institute-for-government/in-conversation-with-neil-ferguson As one of the UK’s top epidemiologists and the head of the influential modelling group at Imperial College London, Neil Ferguson has played a critical role in providing advice during the Covid-19 crisis, as well as previous crises including foot and mouth. In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, Professor Ferguson discussed the lessons he has learned about advising government, the role of scientific modelling in informing decision making and how scientists should communicate with the public. He also assessed the latest Covid-19 data, and what measures may need to be taken in the weeks and months ahead. Professor Neil Ferguson is head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology in the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.

As one of the UK’s top epidemiologists and the head of the influential modelling group at Imperial College London, Neil Ferguson has played a critical role in providing advice during the Covid-19 crisis, as well as previous crises including foot and mouth. In conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, Professor Ferguson discussed the lessons he has learned about advising government, the role of scientific modelling in informing decision making and how scientists should communicate with the public. He also assessed the latest Covid-19 data, and what measures may need to be taken in the weeks and months ahead. Professor Neil Ferguson is head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology in the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.

Climate change is already devastating lives and livelihoods every year. With heatwaves, floods, wildfires and other extreme weather events becoming more common in the UK and around the world, all countries need to adapt and build resilience. So as the UK prepares to host COP26, the UK presidency has placed climate adaptation at the heart of its agenda. COP26 is a huge opportunity for the UK. How can the UK government show leadership on climate adaptation, both internationally and domestically? How can countries provide support for people most vulnerable to the effects of climate change? What role can early warning systems play and how can this help inform approaches by policy makers and donors? And how can the UK both learn from other countries facing climate risks and share the lessons of its own experiences? This panel event brought together experts from the UK and overseas to consider these and other questions: Richard Blewitt, Executive Director International at British Red Cross Rt Hon Baroness Brown, (Professor Dame Julia King), Chair of the Climate Change Adaptation Committee and Chair of the Carbon Trust Dr Jane Strachan, Head of International Applied Science at the Met Office H.E. Ms Saida Muna Tasneem, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to the UK The event was chaired by Marcus Shepheard, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

Sir Jeremy Farrar has been at the heart of the global fight against Covid-19. As head of one the world’s most influential medical research charities and a leading member of SAGE, he has played a decisive role as complex decisions were taken to meet the rapidly-evolving threat of the pandemic. Sir Jeremy discussed his new book, Spike – The Virus v The People: The Inside Story, with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. The book, co- authored with the Financial Times science columnist, Anjana Ahuja, sets out his reflections on the extraordinary last 18 months and puts forward his ideas on how the world can be better prepared to tackle future threats.

In our report Taking back control of trade policy, the Institute argued that the government needed a clear trade strategy. So far, the government’s main goal appears to be to strike as many deals as it can. But recent disagreements in cabinet over whether to open UK markets to Australian agricultural produce, and whether UK farmers will be able to compete, suggest that the government is still struggling to make the necessary trade-offs. This panel examined whether the UK has a trade policy, and if so, what it hopes to achieve. To discuss these issues, we were joined by: Martin Bell, Deputy Director of Trade at the Scotch Whisky Association Anna Isaac, Incoming Economics Editor at The Independent Graham Stuart MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Exports) at the Department for International Trade Emily Thornberry MP, Shadow International Trade Secretary Nick von Westenholz, Director of Trade and Business Strategy at the National Farmers Union The event was chaired by James Kane, Associate at the Institute for Government.

As part of a new series of events on the future of devolution and the Union, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome The Rt Hon Mark Drakeford, Welsh Labour leader and First Minister of Wales. After setting out his vision for devolution and reforming the Union, based on the Welsh government paper, Reforming Our Union: Shared Governance in the UK 2nd Edition, the First Minister was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. The First Minister discussed the state of relations between Westminster and Cardiff, the scope for changes to the powers and funding of the Welsh government, the case for reform of the House of Lords, and what needs to be done to create a new culture of shared governance between UK and devolved administrations.

The Brexit negotiations demonstrated long-standing weaknesses in parliament’s ability to scrutinise trade negotiations and international treaties – with much of the May government’s time spent managing attempts by parliamentarians to enhance their role. In light of the government’s post-Brexit ambition to conclude new trade deals with countries around the world, this panel examined how parliament currently scrutinises international treaties and what more parliamentarians should do to ensure effective scrutiny. To discuss these issues, we were joined by: Jill Barrett, , Associate Member 6 Pump Court, International Law Consultant and former Foreign Office legal adviser Mark Garnier MP, Member of the House of Commons International Trade Committee and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Trade, 2016–18 Professor Holger Hestermeyer, Professor of International and EU law at King’s College London Alex Horne, Counsel at Hackett and Dabbs LLP and Special Adviser to the House of Lords International Agreements Committee The event was chaired by Maddy Thimont Jack, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. The event was part of our day exploring 'Five years of the Department for International Trade: what progress has been made?' https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/events/five-years-department-international-trade

Membership of the EU meant that the UK had not had its own independent trade policy for more than 40 years. In one of her first acts as prime minister, Theresa May established the Department for International Trade to take on this function. This panel will look back at how department was established, how effective it has been in developing the UK’s skills and approach to international trade policy, and what more needs to be done to make the UK the big player in international trade it aspires to be. To discuss these issues, we were joined by: John Alty, Interim Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Trade Dr Lorand Bartels, Reader in International Law at the University of Cambridge and Counsel at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP Sam Lowe, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Reform Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Maddy Thimont Jack, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. The event was part of our day exploring 'Five years of the Department for International Trade: what progress has been made?' https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/events/five-years-department-international-trade

The current government has close ties to Australia, with Australian campaign strategists such as Sir Lynton Crosby and Isaac Levido both having led successful election campaigns for the Conservatives in recent years, and the new trade deal between the UK and Australia agreed in principle in June 2021. British politicians also like to point to Australia as an example of policy models to follow – from an ‘Australian-style’ immigration system to the prospect of an ‘Australian-style’ deal with the European Union. This event brought together an expert panel to discuss why Australia has so captured the government’s imagination, what the UK is learning from Australia, whether the ‘Australia-style’ label glosses over important differences between the UK and Australia, and also whether there are any Australian policy successes that aren’t yet part of the political debate in the UK. On the panel were: James Starkie, Founding Partner at 5654 & Company and former Chief of Staff to Priti Patel Marc Stears, Director of the Sydney Policy Lab and former Chief Speechwriter to the Labour Party Laura Tingle, Journalist and Chief Political Correspondent at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation John McTernan, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and former Director of Political Operations for Tony Blair and for Director of Communications for Julia Gillard The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

At this month's event, the 21st in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Adam Brocklesby, EY Partner, UK&I Consulting, on how government can improve policy decisions and citizen services by being 'insight led' and 'data enabled' Pye Nyunt, Head of Insight & Innovation at the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, on insight-led action on reducing homelessness and improving financial resilience Madeline Lasko, Service Owner, Trading Environment, and Simon Worthington, Chief Data Architect, Trading Environment, Department for International Trade, on publishing the UK tariff as open data Ben Lyons, Head of External Affairs and Insight at the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, on public engagement research to scope standards on public sector algorithmic transparency The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The G7 in Cornwall was a big opportunity for Boris Johnson to set out his vision for Global Britain. On the agenda was famine prevention, girls’ education, tackling climate change and, of course, recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic. But the summit also took place against the backdrop of criticism, at home and abroad, of the government’s decision to cut the UK’s foreign aid budget. To assess how much the summit achieved and to discuss what needs to happen next for the UK to reach its global ambitions and priorities, and how it can be a force for global good, the Institute for Government was delighted to bring together the following expert panel: Mike Adamson, Chief Executive of the British Red Cross The Rt Hon Baroness Amos, Master of University College, Oxford and former UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator and former Secretary of State for International Development Tobias Ellwood MP, Chair of the Defence Select Committee Laila Johnson-Salami, Journalist at Arise TV and Founding Member of Feminist Coalition The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

Announcing the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the prime minister declared that “we have taken back control of every jot and tittle of our regulation”. Regaining regulatory autonomy was a key UK objective in the negotiations. The question now is what the government wants to do with it. There is no shortage of ideas about how the government could regulate differently outside the EU. The taskforce set up by the prime minister to identify post-Brexit opportunities has made much of the ability to change regulation to better reflect the needs of the UK economy and promote innovation, and recommended reform in areas like financial services and life sciences. The government is now launching a search to find a director for its Brexit Opportunities Unit to "develop a cross-government strategy for regulatory change, while driving policy development on new opportunities across Whitehall." As our recent report, Taking back control of regulation, shows, doing things differently from the EU presents opportunities, but also brings potential costs and risks. To discuss how the government should think about regulation after Brexit, we brought together a panel representing a range of views: Bernardine Adkins, Partner, Head of EU, Trade and Competition at Gowling WLG John Foster, Interim Director of Policy and Communications at the Confederation of British Industry Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Iain Martin, Columnist for The Times The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

On his final day as Chief Economist at the Bank of England, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Andy Haldane. After seven years in this position, and as a member of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee, he discussed with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the IfG, his more than 30 years at the Bank of England and reflected on some of the big economic events he has witnessed during that time and the lessons he draws from those experiences.

The prime minister says a "green recovery” will be at the heart of the UK's post-pandemic comeback. But his government has so far set out less ambitious measures than some other countries and it cancelled its flagship scheme, the Green Homes Grant, after six months due to low take up. With the UK hosting the COP26 climate conference in November, this panel discussed what combination of policies, public and private investment and skills programmes will be needed to turn the government's vision of a green recovery into reality. On our panel were: Josh Buckland, Director at Flint Global and former Energy Adviser to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Sam Fankhauser, Professor of Climate Change Economics and Policy at the University of Oxford Rosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for Government Bridget Rosewell, Commissioner for the National Infrastructure Commission Catherine McGuinness, Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee at the City of London Corporation, made the opening remarks. The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

The vote to leave the European Union on 23 June 2016 marked the start of a tumultuous period in British politics. The government was set on a collision course with parliament over what Brexit really meant. The civil service began to untangle 43 years of EU membership, building up new capabilities and preparing for new responsibilities. And the Brexit effect placed the United Kingdom under huge strain – with growing support for independence in Scotland and a new border in the Irish Sea. What impact has the referendum had on the governance of the UK? Has control really returned to parliament, or to the government? And what does Brexit mean for the future of the union? To mark five years since the end of the referendum, the Institute for Government brought together people who were either involved in, or had front-row seats to, this remarkable period in British politics. We were joined by: Katy Balls, Deputy Political Editor at The Spectator Luke Graham, former MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, 2017-19, and former head of the Union Unit in No.10 Lord McDonald of Salford, former Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2015-20 Lisa O’Carroll, Brexit Correspondent at The Guardian The event was chaired by Maddy Thimont Jack, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

Since the 2019 general election, 'levelling up' has been the government’s go-to slogan. The Queen’s Speech set out an ambition to "level up opportunities across all parts of the UK". The chancellor has previously unveiled a 'levelling up' fund. The prime minister has recently appointed a 'levelling up' adviser. And the promise to 'level up' featured heavily during the recent Hartlepool by-election. But what does 'levelling up' actually mean? How does the government intend to turn this slogan into reality? How can voters judge the success – or not – of the 'levelling up' agenda at the next election? The Institute for Government was delighted to bring together an expert panel to discuss past efforts at distributing investment, creating job opportunities and increasing productivity, and to assess whether Boris Johnson’s ‘levelling up’ agenda will see the Conservatives hold on to electoral gains in the so-called ‘red wall’ constituencies. On the panel were: John Godfrey, Corporate Affairs Director at Legal & General and former Head of Policy at No.10 (2016–17) Lord Mandelson, Chairman of Global Counsel and former European Commissioner for Trade and MP for Hartlepool (1992–2004) Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and former Special Adviser to Theresa May Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First and former Education and Innovation Adviser to David Cameron The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

As the economy recovers from the pandemic, the government wants to ‘build back better’ and ‘level up’. Improving public health could play an important role in achieving these objectives. We are a less healthy nation than many of our European neighbours, and there are huge differences in health between more and less prosperous parts of the UK. This affects quality of life as well as how productively people can work. How can public health policy form a part of the levelling up agenda? What is the appropriate role for government and businesses in promoting good public health? What interventions would make a difference and what incentives would help people to get healthier? To discuss these questions and more, we were delighted to bring together an expert panel featuring: Jo Bibby, Director of Health at the Health Foundation Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology at University College London, Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity and Past President of the World Medical Association Nigel Wilson, Group Chief Executive at Legal & General Tina Woods, Founder and CEO of Collider Health and CEO and co-founder of Longevity International The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government, with an introduction by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to bring together two of the UK's most experienced former diplomats for a discussion on the future of Global Britain. Lord Ricketts has held the posts of permanent secretary to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, National Security Adviser and UK Ambassador to France. Sir Peter Westmacott's distinguished career has included stints as the UK's Ambassador to the United States, France and Turkey. They discussed Britain's foreign policy priorities and how they can be achieved, the many international challenges and dilemmas facing the UK, and what Global Britain really means. They also discussed their newly published books: 'Hard Choices: what Britain does next' by Peter Ricketts and 'They call it diplomacy - forty years of representing Britain abroad' by Peter Westmacott. Peter Ricketts and Peter Westmacott were in conversation with the IfG's Director, Bronwen Maddox.

Covid-19 will top the agenda at this month's G7 summit in Cornwall. As some countries lift restrictions and near the completion of vaccine rollouts, others face severe outbreaks or progress being derailed by new variants. No country will escape from the Covid crisis alone – a coordinated global plan which covers vaccination, surveillance and health infrastructure is essential. To discuss how world leaders can meet these challenges and put in place long-term plans for handling the threat of Covid-19, this Institute for Government event saw an expert panel draw on a series of roundtables organised by the IfG and Wellcome Trust. Our panel included: Tom Whipple, Science Editor, The Times Sir Suma Chakrabarti, former Permanent Secretary, DfID and the Ministry of Justice, and incoming chair of the Overseas Development Institute. President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development from 2012–20 Dame Una O’Brien, former Permanent Secretary, UK Department of Health; Member of Council, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Professor Gagandeep Kang, Professor in the Department of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College, India and Fellow of the Royal Society. The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

At this month's event, the 20th in our series, the speakers presented their work in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. Unlocking the value of location data is key to more effective public and private sectors. Across these sectors, people are doing fascinating work with location data. This month's speakers were: Thalia Baldwin, Director of the Geospatial Commission Professor Sir Ian Diamond, the UK’s National Statistician Heidi Mottram CBE, CEO of the Northumbrian Water Group Professor Louise Heathwaite, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at Lancaster University and council member of the UK Research and Innovation Natural Environment Research Council The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

The legacy of Richard, Viscount Haldane can be seen across modern Britain. But why has modern Britain forgotten the many and wide-ranging accomplishments of this philosopher-statesman? The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome John Campbell, author of Haldane: The Forgotten Statesman Who Shaped Modern Britain, and Sir Anthony Seldon, historian and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham, to discuss his life and legacy. Richard Haldane created the Territorial Army and the British Expeditionary Force and was a key player in the formation of MI5, MI6, and the RAF. In academia, he played a big part in founding and developing the LSE, Imperial College, the ‘redbrick’ universities, and the Medical Research Council. His work in science and research with the University Grants Committee was catalytic in British university life, and his name is still frequently invoked in the "Haldane principle" – that the aims of research should be separate from government direction – although the principle and indeed the attribution to him are still hotly debated. A formidable lawyer and philosopher, who rose to be Lord Chancellor, he was the first incumbent of that office to advocate an independent Supreme Court. In a conversation chaired by Bronwen Maddox, the Director of the Institute for Government, John Campbell and Sir Anthony Seldon discussed Haldane's influence on the past and present. John Campbell, who describes himself as a lifelong admirer of Haldane, is also co-founder and chair of Campbell Lutyens, an international private equity and infrastructure advisory house.

The future of EU citizens living in the UK was one of the big sticking points of the Brexit talks. In the 2019 Withdrawal Agreement, the UK agreed to establish an Independent Monitoring Authority to oversee the protections of the rights of EU citizens living in the UK before the end of the transition period. What are the IMA’s priorities? What are its concerns? What progress has been made and what are the key challenges ahead? Five months after the IMA’s launch, and with the 30 June deadline for EU citizens to register for settled, or pre-settled, status fast approaching, the IfG was pleased to welcome the new IMA chair and members of its senior team for a wide-ranging discussion on the IMA’s vital role. We were joined by: Sir Ashley Fox, Chair of the Independent Monitoring Authority Kate Chamberlain, Chief Executive of the Independent Monitoring Authority Pam Everett, Director of Operational Delivery at the Independent Monitoring Authority Rhys Davies, General Counsel at the Independent Monitoring Authority The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Crucial elections take place across the UK on 6 May. The result in Scotland could have huge consequences for the UK's future. The election in Wales is the most unpredictable since devolution. And across England, voters will elect the mayors of London and other English cities, 39 police and crime commissioners and several thousand councillors. The impact on the national political debate could be significant. To make sense of the results and analyse what they mean, the Institute for Government held a special post-election expert discussion. What will the votes mean for the major parties? How will the result in Scotland affect the independence question? What comes next in the devolution debate? And what will the mayors of the big English cities do with their powers? Joining us to answer these questions and more were: Kieran Andrews, Scottish Political Editor at The Times Professor Laura McAllister, Professor of Public Policy at the Wales Governance Centre, University of Cardiff Professor Tony Travers, Professor in Practice in the Department of Government, London School of Economics Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 19th in our series, the speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each set of speakers had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. This month's speakers were: Mark Green, Senior Lecturer in Health Geography at the University of Liverpool, on Local Data Spaces: helping local authorities tackle the Covid-19 pandemic Nick Bailey, Director of the Urban Big Data Centre, on the Urban Big Data Centre’s research Michaela Benzeval, Director of Understanding Society at the University of Essex, and Gemma Schwendel, Senior Analyst at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, on producing and using real time data about the impact of the pandemic on household income, and on the lives of low-income families Catherine Bromley, Deputy Director of Data Strategy and Infrastructure at the ESRC, on UK social science data infrastructure – what’s worked during the pandemic, what’s been a challenge, and lessons for the future. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, associate at the Institute for Government. We took questions virtually during the event.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome the three newly appointed leaders of data, digital and technology in government. Paul Willmott, Chair of the Central Digital and Data Office, Joanna Davinson, Executive Director of the Central Digital and Data Office, and Tom Read, Chief Executive Officer of the Government Digital Service, was in conversation with Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. The Central Data and Digital Office was established earlier this year, and its work will complement that of the Government Digital Service, which is approaching its tenth anniversary. The event explored Paul, Joanna and Tom’s visions for the next phase of digital delivery and transformation in government, and their respective priorities for the coming year.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Ambassador João Vale de Almeida, the EU Ambassador to the UK. The start of the post-Brexit relationship between the UK and the EU has been marked by tensions over vaccine distribution and the Northern Ireland protocol. But these are also issues where close co-operation is needed. How should the UK and the EU work together to implement the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Northern Ireland protocol? What are the other areas of shared interest ahead of the G7 summit and United Nations climate conference? What can be done to improve relations between the EU and the UK post-Brexit? To discuss these questions and more, João Vale de Almeida was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. João Vale de Almeida previously served as the EU Ambassador to the United Nations 2015-19 and the EU Ambassador to the US 2010-14.

The coronavirus crisis has seen many organisations from many sectors work together in their responses. These include government departments, local authorities, NHS trusts, police forces, charities and community groups. But while there are many examples of successful collaboration and coordination, it has varied substantially in different parts of the country, and across and between national and local government. So what lessons can be learnt for future crises? Have some parts of national or local government responses worked more effectively than others? What is the cost of not getting this right? And what are the appropriate roles and responsibilities for different organisations in a crisis? Our panel to discuss these issues were: Mike Adamson, CEO of the British Red Cross Saffron Cordery, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Providers Jacqui Smith, Chair of University Hospitals Birmingham and former Home Secretary Robin Tuddenham, CEO of Calderdale Council and Co-Chair of West Yorkshire Prepared The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

As part of our series of events in the run-up to the 2021 devolved and local elections, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Michael Russell MSP, Scotland's Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs. What are the key issues at stake in May's Scottish parliament election? What is the SNP strategy for securing and winning a second independence referendum? And how might the devolution settlement – and the relationship between Holyrood and Westminster – evolve over the coming years? Michael Russell was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. Michael Russell is the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Argyll and Bute, President of the Scottish National Party, and Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs.

From court hearings to GP appointments, education to social care, the coronavirus crisis has had a huge impact on the way public services are delivered. Years of innovation have taken place in a matter of months, with many of the most successful changes developed locally and by frontline staff. So what can central government do to embed, support and successfully scale up these new approaches in public services delivery? What tools does Whitehall need to facilitate transformational change across the public sector and how can the public sector collaborate with other sectors to achieve a shared goal? What role can recent changes play in the recovery from the pandemic? And what lessons can be learnt from the way changes have been introduced in response to the pandemic? On our panel to discuss these issues were: Lord Victor Adebowale, Chair of NHS Confederation Dr Henry Kippin, Director of Economic Growth at North of Tyne Combined Authority Kirsty McNeill, Executive Director of Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns at Save the Children Chris Clements, Director at Social Finance The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

The arrival of Covid-19 forced parliament to innovate rapidly and experiment with new ways of working. These had a dramatic impact on the way MPs and peers did their jobs – with implications for the effectiveness and inclusivity of our legislature. What innovations should be kept, what should be dropped and who should decide? This event brought together an expert panel to discuss these important questions. Tracey Crouch, MP for Chatham and Aylesford Matthew Hamlyn, Strategic Director, Chamber Business Team at House of Commons Philip Norton (Lord Norton of Louth), Professor of Government at the University of Hull and President of the Study of Parliament Group The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White OBE, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.

Improving the skills of civil servants is an important part of the government’s civil service reform plans. Previous attempts at reform have had mixed success and demonstrated how hard it is to get the right people in the right jobs. The Institute for Government’s report looks at the skills that the civil service needs now and in the next few years. It makes recommendations for solving some of the problems preventing effective reform, including the conflicting priorities of departments and the centre of government. Benoit Guerin, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government, presented key findings from the report. This was followed by a discussion between: Rupert McNeil, Government Chief People Officer Emily Miles, Chief Executive of the Food Standards Agency Max Tse, Executive Director at the National Audit Office. The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government.

Boris Johnson’s priority was clear when he appointed his first cabinet in 2019: delivering Brexit. Now, months after the UK has left the Brexit transition period, and a year into a global pandemic, the prime minister is reportedly planning to reshuffle his ministerial team. What should the prime minister be looking for as he plans to reshuffle his cabinet? What lessons can be learnt from previous reshuffles? Who might we see in the next cabinet? And what is it like being a minister during a reshuffle? On the panel to discuss these questions were: Katy Balls, Deputy Political Editor at The Spectator Salma Shah, former Special Adviser to Sajid Javid Ben Riley-Smith, Political Editor at the Daily Telegraph The Rt Hon Lord Young of Cookham, former Leader of the House of Commons and Chief Whip The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 18th in our series, the speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each set of speakers had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. Our speakers were: Matthew Gould, CEO at NHSX and Baroness Kate Rock, discussing 'Has Covid changed how government thinks about data?' Pamela Dow, Executive Director, Government Skills and Curriculum Unit in the Cabinet Office, on how Covid has helped the civil service rethink how data is used to make decisions. May-N Leow, Head of Local Digital Collaboration Unit at MHCLG, on levelling up the local government response to Covid with data. Doug Gurr, former CEO at Amazon UK, and government adviser, on the lessons government has learned about data in the past year and how we can build for the future. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, associate at the Institute for Government.

This is a crucial year for British foreign policy. The government has recently published its plans for ‘Global Britain’ in the Integrated Review for Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. The UK holds the G7 presidency and, in June, the prime minister will host the leaders of the other G7 countries for a summit in Cornwall. The government has promised that the UK’s departure from the EU will allow Global Britain to flourish. But what does the integrated review mean for the UK’s place in the world? What can the UK achieve during its G7 presidency? How should the prime minister approach the G7 summit? The Institute for Government was delighted to bring together the following panel to discuss these issues: Chernor Bah, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Purposeful Elizabeth Dibble, Chief Operating Officer at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Sir David Lidington, Chair of the Royal United Services Institute and former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister of State for Europe The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

As part of a series of events we are holding in the run-up to the 2021 devolved and local elections, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Andrew RT Davies MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the Senedd (Welsh Parliament). Andrew Davies was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, to discuss Welsh devolution, the 2021 election, relations between Cardiff and Westminster, and the future of the Union. Andrew RT Davies has been a Member of the Senedd since 2007. He was appointed Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in January 2021 having previously served as Leader from 2011 to 2018.

As part of a series of events we are holding in the run-up to the 2021 devolved and local elections, the Institute for Government is delighted to welcome Andrew RT Davies MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the Senedd (Welsh Parliament). Andrew Davies will be in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, to discuss Welsh devolution, the 2021 election, relations between Cardiff and Westminster, and the future of the Union. There will be the opportunity for questions from the audience throughout the event. Andrew RT Davies has been a Member of the Senedd since 2007. He was appointed Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in January 2021 having previously served as Leader from 2011 to 2018.

As part of our series of events in the run up to the 2021 devolved and local elections, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Rebecca Evans, Welsh Minister for Finance and Trefnydd (Leader of the House). Rebecca Evans was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, about Welsh devolution, the 2021 election, relations between Cardiff and Westminster, and the future of the Union. Rebecca Evans has been the Member of the Senedd for Gower since 2016, representing the Welsh Labour Party. She has served in a number of ministerial posts, including, since 2018, as Minister for Finance and Trefnydd (equivalent of the Leader of the House).

The Industrial Strategy Council updated on progress in implementing the 2017 Industrial Strategy, and the lessons that the annual report contains for the government’s new Plan for Growth. It also considered the lessons learned for industrial policy from the development of Covid vaccines over the past year. The panel included: Andy Haldane, Chair of the Industrial Strategy Council Dame Vivian Hunt, member of the Industrial Strategy Council and the Build Back Better Council Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

The Covid-19 pandemic has fuelled a parallel “infodemic” of harmful misinformation about the virus and vaccines. This has highlighted the wider challenge for governments of combating the spread of misleading content on the internet and social media platforms. This Institute for Government event, held in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council, explored the scale of the misinformation challenge facing the UK government and the policy approaches that government can take to address it. On our panel to discuss these issues were: Damian Collins MP, former Chair of the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee Professor Peter Knight, Professor of American Studies at the University of Manchester and Principal Investigator on the AHRC’s ‘Infodemic: Combatting Covid-19 conspiracy theories' project Will Moy, Chief Executive of Full Fact Marianna Spring, specialist BBC reporter covering disinformation and social media The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Scientists around the world have played a central role in the last year, informing policy makers and the public throughout the pandemic. Under pressure they have adapted new ways of working, while the creation and deployment of vaccines could have far-reaching consequences for global scientific collaboration. At this event, we discussed the early lessons the science community should draw from the crisis. On the panel to discuss these issues were: Dr Rupert Lewis, Chief Science Policy Officer at The Royal Society Professor Peter Openshaw, Professor Experimental Medicine at Imperial College London (and Vice-chair of NERVTAG) Dr Beth Thompson, Head of UK & EU Policy and Advocacy at Wellcome Trust The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome the Rt Hon Jesse Norman MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury. Following the publication of the National Infrastructure Strategy, this event explored the government’s plans to “transform” the UK’s infrastructure networks to drive the country’s post-pandemic recovery, make progress to reaching the net zero emissions target in 2050 and contribute to ‘levelling up’ the country. Jesse Norman was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Jesse Norman has been the Financial Secretary to the Treasury since May 2019. Before that he was Minister of State at the Department for Transport from November 2018 to May 2019 and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport from June 2017 to November 2018. He has been the MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire since 2010 and is the author of books on Adam Smith and Edmund Burke.

From ethics in healthcare policy, to the architecture of home-based working, to supporting the live music industry, arts and humanities research has made a big contribution to meeting policy challenges posed by the pandemic. One year on from the start of the pandemic, the Institute for Government, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), was delighted to bring together a panel of researchers from across the arts and humanities to discuss the ways in which Covid-19 has changed their work and shifted their priorities. Arts and humanities research is at the forefront of efforts to understand the longer term social, cultural, and economic effects of the pandemic, as well as helping to shape a range of immediate policy responses. On our panel to discuss these issues were: Dr Adam Behr, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary and Popular Music at Newcastle University Dr Rebecca Brown, Career Development Fellow at the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and Research Associate, Wadham College, University of Oxford Dr Frances Holliss, Emeritus Reader in Architecture at London Metropolitan University Dr Sabrina Germain, Senior Lecturer in Law at City, University of London. The event was chaired by Dr Alice Lilly, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. We are grateful for the support of AHRC in staging this event.

Lord Agnew, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, made a keynote speech on the government’s proposals for post-Brexit rules on public sector procurement of goods, works and services. These include major changes to how contracts are awarded, transparency, review mechanisms and more. The speech was followed by a panel discussion on the opportunities and trade-offs of different approaches, what we can learn from other countries, and how new regulations can be implemented. In addition to Lord Agnew, the panel featured: Robert Breedon, Partner at Gowling WLG Sally Guyer, Global CEO of World Commerce and Contracting The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. The Institute for Government is grateful to Gowling WLG for their support in staging this event.

Tax touches on almost every area of our lives. It is vital for raising revenues to pay for public services and benefits. Incentives in the tax system also influence behaviour – sometimes deliberately, sometimes as a result of poor policy design, other times as an unavoidable side effect. As the threat of Covid wanes and as the UK establishes its economic direction outside the EU, the government will face important questions about the future of the tax system – including how to ensure it raises the necessary revenues as well as providing the right incentives. But tax is a particularly contentious area of policy where many previous governments have struggled to make progress. This event brought together former chancellors to discuss their experiences of tax policy making, the problems they faced and how they made progress. Our panel The Rt Hon. the Lord Lamont of Lerwick, former Chancellor of the Exchequer (1990–93) The Rt Hon. the Lord Darling of Roulanish, former Chancellor of the Exchequer (2007–10) The Rt Hon. George Osborne CH, former Chancellor of the Exchequer (2010–16) The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, with an introduction by Matt Ellis, Managing Partner for Tax at Deloitte UK. This event was kindly supported by Deloitte LLP.

As part of our series of events covering the 2021 elections for the devolved regions, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome The Rt Hon Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017. Seeking re-election on 6 May, Andy Burnham reflected on his first term as mayor, on the outlook for the Greater Manchester region and on how he would like to see the powers and responsibilities of 'metro mayors' develop. Andy Burnham was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. Andy Burnham has been Mayor of Greater Manchester since May 2017. Previously he served in the government of Prime Minister Gordon Brown as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Culture Secretary, Health Secretary and Shadow Home Secretary. He was MP for Leigh from 2001–17.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 17th in our series, the speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker has eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. Our speakers were: Laura Sandys CBE, Chair of the Energy Digitalisation Taskforce, on how digitalisation should reshape energy Samantha Riley, Deputy Director of Intensive Support, NHS England and NHS Improvement, on Making data count Or Lenchner, CEO of Luminati Networks, with a commercial perspective on the ethics of data collection Ian Grimstead and Li Chen, Senior Data Scientists at the Data Science Campus, Office for National Statistics on estimating vehicle and pedestrian activity from town and city traffic cameras. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

We were excited to host another online-only Data Bites event. Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 16th in our series, the speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. Our speakers were: Dr Indra Joshi, Director of Artificial Intelligence at NHSX, on the work of the NHS AI Lab Dr James Tucker, Head of the Government Data Quality Hub, Office for National Statistics, ‘Towards a data quality culture’ Lisa Allen, Head of Data and Analytical Services at Ordnance Survey, on taking a principles approach to data Flt Lt (Dr) James Kuht, Special Projects at No.10 Data Science Team (10DS), on the Data Masterclass for Senior Leaders. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government.

We were excited to announce another online-only Data Bites event. Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 15th in our series, the speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker has eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. Our speakers were: Theo Blackwell, Chief Digital Officer for London, and Eddie Copeland, Director, London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI), on data sharing in London. Rachel Forty, Lead Data Scientist at the Food Standards Agency, on user focused tool design Chris Barnes, Lead Data Governance Officer at Highways England, on valuing Highways England’s data Jon Harrison, Senior Data Scientist, Department for Work and Pensions, on using automated A/B testing to inform decision making The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government.

The UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) reflects the government’s decision to prioritise regulatory autonomy over access to the EU single market. However, the TCA contains a complex set of ‘level playing field’ provisions – designed to ensure fair competition between the EU and the UK – that could limit the government’s room for manoeuvre. These include commitments not to regress from labour, social, environmental and climate standards, and to control subsidies. The deal also allows either side to take ‘rebalancing measures’ if material impacts on trade or investment arise as a result of significant divergence. How constraining are these restrictions? How will both sides approach disputes under the agreement? And how will the provisions of the agreement be interpreted in the years ahead? To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel: Professor David Collins, Professor of International Economic Law at City, University of London Dr Professor Holger Hestermeyer, Professor of International and EU law at King’s College London Anneli Howard, Barrister at Monckton Chambers Dr Totis Kotsonis, Partner at Pinsent Masons LLP The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government

In the first of a series of events with leading UK politicians in the run-up to May’s devolved and local elections, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Douglas Ross MP. The leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist party discussed the state of the Union, the 2021 election, how devolution might evolve over the coming years, and what he would seek to change in how Scotland is governed. Douglas Ross was in conversation with Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. Douglas Ross has been the MP for Moray since 2017, having previously served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament. He was elected Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party in August 2020 and is now leading the party’s campaign for the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

The UK's vaccine rollout has made a good start. This panel discussed the reasons behind the early success and explore the questions the government faces – around prioritisation, the threat of variants and vaccine diplomacy – as it extends the rollout. It also explored the long-term lessons of the vaccine programme, and how the UK should capitalise on its life sciences expertise. On the panel to discuss these questions were: George Freeman, MP for Mid Norfolk and former Minister for Life Sciences Tom Chivers, Author and Science Editor at Unherd Dr Rebecca Fisher, GP and Senior Policy Fellow at The Health Foundation Professor Robin Shattock, Chair in Mucosal Infection and Immunity and Covid-19 vaccine lead at Imperial College London The event was chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank The Forum – Imperial College London for kindly supporting this event.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Adam Price MS as part of our series of events with leading politicians from across the UK in the run up to the devolved and local elections of May 2021. The leader of Plaid Cymru – the party of Wales – discussed the state of the Union, the upcoming election, and how devolution might evolve over the coming years. He was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Adam Price has been the Member of the Welsh parliament for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since 2016, having previously served as a member of parliament at Westminster. He was elected Leader of Plaid Cymru in 2018 and is now leading the party’s campaign for the 2021 Welsh parliament election.

As we pass a year since the first case of Covid-19 was reported in the UK, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Tony Blair, Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and former Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, to reflect on the last 12 months – and look ahead to the lasting impact of the pandemic and the challenges this poses for politicians and policy makers. What lessons have we learned over the last 12 months? How can countries adapt to the continuing existence of Covid-19? What does ‘returning to normal’ really mean in the year ahead? How will the pandemic change the UK? How will it change the world? To explore these questions, and many more, Tony Blair was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Tony Blair served as Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1997 to 2007.

The chancellor told the Conservative Party Conference last year that “this Conservative government will always balance the books”. But the economic fallout of the coronavirus crisis has led to record borrowing, an increasing debt and a depressed outlook for the economy – and likely tax revenues – in the medium term. However, as the pandemic continues, so will the government’s role in supporting the economy – and the cost of servicing its debt is currently at record lows. So does the government need to embark on a programme of fiscal consolidation? And if so, when? Whether or not Sunak intends to balance the books in this budget, what balance should he strike between tax and spending measures? In the week before the chancellor’s second budget, the Institute for Government brought together an expert panel to discuss these questions. Our panel: Sir Robert Chote, former Chairman of the Office of Budget Responsibility, 2010–20 Simon Wren-Lewis, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford Sarah Carlson, Senior Vice President, Sovereign Risk Group at Moody’s Investor Service Timothy Pitt, Partner at Flint Global and former special adviser The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

It has been a rocky first six weeks for the Northern Ireland protocol, which came into force on 31 December last year. Since the UK left the Brexit transition period, Northern Ireland has seen empty supermarket shelves, cancelled deliveries, and retailers temporarily pulling some products. Then came the UK’s vaccines row with the EU, and the EU’s threat to take unilateral action to disregard aspects of the protocol. While that decision was swiftly reversed after strong condemnation from politicians in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the UK, but it has been followed by increasingly vocal calls from Unionist parties to do away with the protocol entirely. This event looked at how the protocol is operating, what solutions might be found to fix its early problems, and what opportunities the protocol presents for Northern Ireland. Speakers Aodhán Connolly, Director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium Professor Katy Hayward, Professor of Political Sociology at Queen’s University Belfast and Senior Fellow at UK in a Changing Europe Neale Richmond TD, Fine Gael spokesperson on European Affairs Simon Hoare MP, Chair of the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee The event was chaired by Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government

The government is set to publish its Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. Its conclusions will shape the UK’s approach to national security and determine how the government sees the UK’s place in the world but the review's impact goes beyond foreign policy. This Institute for Government event discussed how the review will shape the government’s domestic agenda, what it means for the UK’s economic prosperity and stability, and the UK’s readiness to meet security threats to the international order such as climate change, cyber attacks, and pandemics. On the panel were: Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood MP, Chair of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist Ciaran Martin, former Chief Executive of the National Cyber Security Centre; now Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations at Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University Cate Pye, Partner, Cyber Security and Public Sector at PA Consulting The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome the Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP to reflect on the previous day’s discussions at our net zero conference and to set out the government’s priorities for net zero in the run-up to COP26. The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, the Director of the Institute for Government. This event was part of the Institute for Government's international one-day virtual conference looking at the route to net zero ahead of COP26, the United Nations climate change summit that the UK will host in Glasgow in November. With many countries having adopted targets, the conference explored the challenges they will face in delivering them identified in the Institute's recent report on net zero, which you can find on our website: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/net-zero Find out more about our IfG Delivering Net Zero conference: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/events/delivering-net-zero

Speakers: Peter Betts, Visiting Professor in Practice at the LSE Grantham Research Institute, Associate Fellow at Chatham House and former EU Lead Climate Negotiator Karsten Sach, Lead Climate Negotiator for Germany and Director General ‘International and European Policy, Climate Policy’ in the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Joseph Teo, Chief Negotiator for Climate Change for Singapore and former Deputy Permanent Representative for Singapore to the United Nations Jacob Werksman, Principal Adviser to the Directorate General for Climate Action for the European Commission Chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. This event was part of the Institute for Government's international one-day virtual conference looking at the route to net zero ahead of COP26, the United Nations climate change summit that the UK will host in Glasgow in November. With many countries having adopted targets, the conference explored the challenges they will face in delivering them identified in the Institute's recent report on net zero, which you can find on our website: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/net-zero Find out more about our IfG Delivering Net Zero conference: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/events/delivering-net-zero

Speakers: Professor Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford and former independent chair of the Natural Capital Committee Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies and member of the Committee on Climate Change Rain Newton-Smith, Chief Economist at CBI Chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. This event was part of the Institute for Government's international one-day virtual conference looking at the route to net zero ahead of COP26, the United Nations climate change summit that the UK will host in Glasgow in November. With many countries having adopted targets, the conference explored the challenges they will face in delivering them identified in the Institute's recent report on net zero, which you can find on our website: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/net-zero Find out more about our IfG Delivering Net Zero conference: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/events/delivering-net-zero

Speakers: Michel Colombier, Scientific Director at the Institute for Sustainable Development (Paris), member of the High Council on Climate and former Senior Adviser to the French Energy Minister Michael Liebreich, CEO of Liebreich Associates, founder of New Energy Finance and former member of the Clinton Initiative Energy and Climate Working Group Advisory Board Tim Lord, Senior Fellow, Net Zero at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and former Director for Clean Growth at BEIS Rachel Skinner, President of the Institution of Civil Engineers Chaired by Tom Sasse, Associate Director at the Institute for Government. This event was part of the Institute for Government's international one-day virtual conference looking at the route to net zero ahead of COP26, the United Nations climate change summit that the UK will host in Glasgow in November. With many countries having adopted targets, the conference explored the challenges they will face in delivering them identified in the Institute's recent report on net zero, which you can find on our website: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/net-zero Find out more about our IfG Delivering Net Zero conference: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/events/delivering-net-zero

Speakers: Darren Jones MP, Chair of the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee Rebecca Willis, Professor in Practice at Lancaster University and expert lead for Climate Assembly UK Diarmuid Torney, Associate Professor at Dublin City University and expert adviser for the Irish Citizen's Assembly on Climate Change Chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government. This event was part of the Institute for Government's international one-day virtual conference looking at the route to net zero ahead of COP26, the United Nations climate change summit that the UK will host in Glasgow in November. With many countries having adopted targets, the conference explored the challenges they will face in delivering them identified in the Institute's recent report on net zero, which you can find on our website: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/net-zero Find out more about our IfG Delivering Net Zero conference: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/events/delivering-net-zero

The former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and Home Secretary, who represented the UK at the 2015 Paris Climate Change Conference, was in discussion with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. This event was part of the Institute for Government's international one-day virtual conference looking at the route to net zero ahead of COP26, the United Nations climate change summit that the UK will host in Glasgow in November. With many countries having adopted targets, the conference explored the challenges they will face in delivering them identified in the Institute's recent report on net zero, which you can find on our website: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/net-zero Find out more about our IfG Delivering Net Zero conference: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/events/delivering-net-zero

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Sir John Kingman to share his thoughts on the need for reform in the civil service and how to do it. He was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Sir John Kingman has been the Chairman of UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) since 2016. He is a former Second Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury. He is also Chairman of Legal & General and Tesco Bank.

There are just three weeks to go until the end of the Brexit transition period when, deal or no deal, there will be sweeping changes to how businesses trade with the EU. As preparations enter their final stages, experts from different sectors will discuss how ready businesses are for the changes ahead, what more needs to be done and what the government can do to support businesses to make the most of opportunities after Brexit. To discuss these issues, we were joined by: Sally Jones, Trade Strategy and Brexit lead at EY Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce Adam Prince, Vice President for Product Management, Compliance, Brexit and Migration at Sage Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Maddy Thimont Jack, Associate Director at the Institute for Government This event was kindly supported by Sage Group.

Joe Biden is set to become the 46th US president. How will he deal with coronavirus and the economy? What are his priorities internationally and will he restore the US’s role in alliances? And what about the trade deal the UK wants so much, and relations with Boris Johnson, dubbed “Britain Trump” by the current occupant of the White House? On our panel to discuss these issues were: Dan Balz, Chief Correspondent for the Washington Post Elizabeth Dibble, Chief Operating Officer at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former Deputy Chief of Mission at the US embassy in London Emily Tamkin, US Editor for the New Statesman Sir Paul Tucker, Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England The event was chaired by Sir Richard Lambert, Board member of the Institute for Government and former Editor of the Financial Times.

What is the UK's science and health research role after Brexit? 2021 will be a pivotal year for British diplomacy, with the UK hosting the G7 presidency and co-chairing the COP26 conference. Both will be opportunities to introduce Global Britain to the world stage and take place in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic which has shown the potential benefits of deepening international research collaboration. At this timely event, the panel explored what Global Britain means for the UK’s research agenda: how can the UK best combine its scientific knowledge with diplomatic strength to maximise its impact on the international stage? And how could the UK use its global influence, to achieve this? On our panel to discuss these questions were: Rt Hon Lord Johnson of Marylebone, former Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation Pascal Lamy, former Director General of the World Trade Organization Dr Beth Thompson, Head of Policy and Advocacy – UK and EU at Wellcome Trust Dr Richard Torbett, Chief Executive of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.

Data is increasingly fundamental to modern life, with the free flow of information around the EU enabling businesses to provide services, law enforcement agencies to collaborate, and more. The UK will lose easy access to this data after Brexit, resulting in enormous disruption – unless it can secure an 'adequacy' decision, where the European Commission recognises the UK's data protection regime as comparable to the EU's own. This event assessed the chances of getting an adequacy decision with just weeks to go, the implications of failing to secure one, and the scope for the UK to develop its own, distinct regulatory approach on data either way. Panellists: J. Scott Marcus, Senior Fellow at Bruegel Jeni Tennison, Vice President and Chief Strategy Adviser at the Open Data Institute Antony Walker, Deputy CEO at techUK The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by techUK.

Dominic Cummings’s departure from Downing Street gives the government an opportunity to reassess how it uses special advisers. Will this crucial role change now that the prime minister’s chief adviser has left No.10? Should No.10 continue to have direct oversight of SpAds, or should the government return to a system of SpAds reporting directly to their secretary of state? And what else should be done to support – and scrutinise – the work of special advisers? We were joined by an expert panel to discuss these questions: Peter Cardwell, former special adviser to four Conservative cabinet ministers and author of The Secret Life of Special Advisers Salma Shah, former special adviser to Sajid Javid (2014-2019) John McTernan, former political secretary to Tony Blair Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Support for Scottish independence is rising, with opinion polls showing a clear majority of Scots wanting Scotland to leave the UK. However, Boris Johnson’s government is committed to holding the union together and does not want to agree to a second independence referendum, although the SNP will try to use the results of the 2021 Scottish parliamentary election to ramp up pressure. What are the reasons for the growing support for Scottish independence? What would need to happen for a legal, fair and decisive referendum to take place? And what can the UK government do to keep the UK together? On our panel to discuss these issues were: Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University and Senior Research Fellow at NatCen Professor Sionaidh Douglas-Scott, Anniversary Chair in Law at Queen Mary University of London and Law and Public Affairs Fellow at Princeton University; and former special legal adviser for the Scottish Parliament European and External Relations Committee Andrew Wilson, former Member of the Scottish Parliament and Chair of the Sustainable Growth Commission Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

How can the government keep the public on board with coronavirus restrictions? A rise in Covid-19 cases has forced the government to put England into a second national lockdown. But, in contrast with the spring, some experts think people are less likely to follow the rules this time around. Is this due to growing confusion, a loss of faith in what the rules are trying to achieve, or are people simply growing tired of the restrictions on their lives? How should the government respond to any drop in adherence – and where does the balance lie between helping individuals to comply or punishing them when they don’t? To discuss these issues, we were delighted to welcome: Chris Cook, Contributing Editor at Tortoise Ann John, Professor in Public Health and Psychiatry at Swansea University and Chair of the National Advisory Group to the Welsh government Stephen Reicher, Professor of Social Psychology at the University of St Andrews and member of SPI-B Anthony Yates, former Professor of Economics at the University of Birmingham The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome the Rt Hon Lord Maude, former Minister of State for Trade and Investment and former Minister for the Cabinet Office. A long-standing advocate for civil service reform, Francis Maude has been asked by the government to undertake a short review into the performance of the Cabinet Office. This event explored the focus of Lord Maude’s review, what the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis has revealed about the role of the Cabinet Office, and wider questions of civil service reform. Lord Maude has had a distinguished career in government, serving as Margaret Thatcher's Minister for Europe and Hong Kong and Financial Secretary to the Treasury. He was also the Global Head of Privatisation at Morgan Stanley. As UK Minister for the Cabinet Office from 2010–15, he led an efficiency and reform programme that delivered cumulative savings from the operating costs of government of more than £52 billion. He and his team developed the "functional model" of government to break down the separate silos that in many governments stand in the way of efficient and effective delivery of services. Lord Maude has recently undertaken a pro bono review of spend controls and the functional model for the British government. He is the Chairman and co-founder of FMA.

The end of the Brexit transition period means big changes are inevitable at the end of the year. But despite a £70 million communications campaign many businesses and individuals are still unaware of what they need to do prepare, let alone ready. As the coronavirus crisis continues to dominate the public’s attention and Brexit fatigue persists, the government’s communications campaign has failed to cut through. Meanwhile recent polls suggest increasing numbers of people may be becoming more sceptical about Brexit itself. This event explored the challenges facing the government in getting its message across to business and the public: how to persuade business to prepare and how to communicate the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, deal or no deal. Panellists: Paul Harrison, Senior Counsel at Lexington Communications and former No.10 press secretary James Johnson, Founding Partner of J.L Partners and former No.10 political adviser and pollster Joe Marshall, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Lisa O’Carroll, Brexit Correspondent at The Guardian This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

The announcement of a second England lockdown came following repeated warnings from the UK government’s scientific advisers about the spread of coronavirus. Throughout the Covid-19 crisis, scientific advice to the government has been highly visible, with Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, repeatedly sharing a platform with Boris Johnson. Members of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) continue to feature prominently across broadcast outlets and in coverage of the government’s handling of the crisis. Other forms of advice, including economic advice from the Treasury, have been far less transparent, often creating the impression that SAGE is the government’s main and most influential advisory body. And yet economic arguments have also featured prominently in the debate about whether and when to lockdown again. How should science advice be combined with other kinds of evidence and presented to ministers? Does there need to be more transparency about the type of advice government is receiving and how it is using it? Does the prominence of SAGE undermine public understanding of other forms of evidence? To discuss these questions, the IfG was delighted to welcome: Professor John Edmunds, Professor of Infectious Disease Modelling at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and participant in SAGE Professor Susan Michie, Professor of Health Psychology at UCL and participant in SAGE and Independent SAGE Lord Macpherson of Earl’s Court, former Treasury Permanent Secretary (2005–16) Nancy Hey, Executive Director of What Works Wellbeing This event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

The coronavirus crisis has placed unprecedented pressure on public services, which have had to cope with increased costs, large workforce absences and the difficulties of providing services while maintaining social distancing. In response to the pandemic, the government has pledged £68.7bn since March in support, and suspended governance and regulatory requirements. At the same time services have made greater use of technology, and organisations developed new ways of working. How successful have these changes been in maintaining the availability of public services? Which changes should continue beyond the crisis? What does the government need to do to make that possible? This event launched the fifth edition of Performance Tracker, an analysis of the performance of five key public services during the pandemic: hospitals, general practice, adult social care, schools and criminal courts. Graham Atkins, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government, presented the key findings. To discuss, our panel included: Sarah Neville, Global Pharmaceuticals Editor at the Financial Times Professor Andrew Hardy, CEO of University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and President of CIPFA This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Performance Tracker is produced in partnership with Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 14th in our series, the speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. Our speakers were: Rosalie Marshall, Technical Lead at the Data Standards Authority, on Data standards, assurance and findability Michael Birtwistle, AI Barometer Lead at the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, on the AI Barometer report Lisa Stidle, Data Strategy Lead at Hackney Council, on the value of master data in a pandemic David Read, Senior Technical Architect at the Ministry of Justice, on Data infrastructure at MoJ – the Analytical Platform. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government. Find out more about Data Bites: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/data-bites

Why is the UK’s rate of growth so low? What can be done to solve the ‘productivity puzzle?’ How can the government close the UK’s regional economic divides? And can politicians ever reach consensus on these vital questions? In an event hosted by the Institute for Government and the Policy Institute at King’s College London, Bronwen Maddox is joined by David Sainsbury and Ed Balls for a wide-ranging and thought-provoking discussion at the IfG. Lord Sainsbury, the founder and chairman of the Institute for Government, and minister of science and innovation from 1998–2006, presents the striking conclusions of his new book Windows of Opportunity: How nations create wealth. Ed Balls, education secretary from 2007–10 and shadow chancellor from 2010–15, who describes Windows of Opportunity as "a call to arms to policy makers", sets out his thoughts on what governments can do to drive – and avoid hindering – growth and productivity.

The UK government has stressed that demonstrating leadership on climate change remains more important than ever, and that means getting on track to meet its net zero target. What is required to actually “get net zero housing done” and to ensure the economic recovery from coronavirus supports a transition to net zero? Panellists: Rt Hon Philip Dunne MP, Chair of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Select Committee Gary Clark, Chair of RIBA’s Sustainable Futures Group and Regional Leader of Science and Technology at HOK Alexandra Willey, Director of Strategic Asset Management at Clarion Housing Group Tom Sasse, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the Royal Institute of British Architects.

With the National Infrastructure Strategy due for publication this year, the role of transport in connecting places will be high on the political agenda. What powers, co-ordination and funding are needed to make the most of these opportunities for places and is transport the right vehicle to deliver them? This event will ask how the government can use transport to ‘build back better’ and create more resilient post-Covid places as part of the economic recovery. Panellists: Simon Jupp MP, Member of the House of Commons Transport Select Committee Chris Loder MP, Member of the House of Commons Transport Select Committee Caroline Donaldson, Managing Director at West Coast Partnership Development Laura Shoaf, Managing Director of Transport for West Midlands Chaired by Alistair Baldwin, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by West Coast Partnership.

The government says that it wants to learn from what went wrong with the Covid-19 response and that a public inquiry will be held. What lessons can be learnt, what are the psychological underpinnings of accountability in policy and can we balance the tension between learning lessons and apportioning blame in order to inform better decision making in the future? Panellists: Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, Chair of the Liaison Committee Sue Cameron, writer and broadcaster and former Newsnight presenter Kathryn Scott, Director of Policy at the British Psychological Society Chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the British Psychological Society.

The coronavirus crisis has put huge pressure on the social care system and further highlighted the funding difficulties it faces. The government has pledged to secure a cross-party consensus on social care. What are the key elements of a sustainable, long-term settlement and how realistic is a cross-party consensus? How much more money does social care need to provide a decent service? Panellists: Viki Cooke, Founding Partner of Britain Thinks Martin Routledge, Head of Development at Community Circles Graham Atkins, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

The coronavirus crisis has meant that more of our lives are being lived through technology. How can we make sure that the digitally excluded are not left behind, and that technology does not bake in existing societal and social biases? What role should government and regulators play in this new environment and how can they enable businesses to harness technology to transform how services are delivered, and aid a post-lockdown recovery? Panellists: Lord Lucas, Member of the House of Lords Democracy and Digital Technologies Committee Anna Bradley, Chair of the Solicitors Regulation Authority Dr Tanya Filer, Policy and Research Leader, Digital State at the University of Cambridge and Director at StateUp Jacky Wright, Chief Digital Officer at Microsoft US Chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Leaving the EU gives the UK an opportunity to act with greater freedom on the world stage. But how should this freedom be used? This event will explore the government's priorities for a 'Global Britain' and how the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will deliver. It will also explore what the government's trade strategy is and how it will fit into the government's broader foreign policy aims. Panellists: Rt Hon Greg Hands MP, Minister of State for International Trade Stephen Adams, Senior Director at Global Counsel Professor Ian Walmsley, Provost at Imperial College London Georgina Wright, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Chaired by Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Imperial College London and Wellcome Trust.

How is the government's relationship with the public changing in the post-coronavirus world and how should that affect how government operates? What implications will there be for how the government uses its resources, runs public services, and makes policy? Panellists: Matt Warman MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Digital Infrastructure at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Kelly Beaver, Managing Director of Public Affairs at Ipsos MORI Daniel Korski, CEO and Co-Founder of PUBLIC Conrad Thompson, Board Director at PA Consulting Chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by PA Consulting.

Lord Heseltine was in discussion with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, for the IfG LIVE 2020 Conservative Fringe Programme.

The Conservative manifesto committed to providing world-class healthcare, with 40 new hospitals, 50,000 more nurses, 6,000 more doctors, an extra 50 million general practice appointments a year, and a cross-party consensus on social care. Since then, though, services have been disrupted and public finances severely stretched by the coronavirus pandemic. How realistic are the government’s health and care manifesto pledges in light of coronavirus? What should the government prioritise in the upcoming spending review? Which changes made during the crisis – in working practices, funding and the use of technology – could be extended beyond the pandemic? Panellists: Dean Russell MP, Member of the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee Dame Donna Kinnair, Chief Executive and General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing Nicholas Timmins, Senior Fellow, Policy at The King's Fund Chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the Royal College of Nursing.

The government says that it wants to learn from what went wrong with the Covid-19 response and that a public inquiry will be held. What lessons can be learnt, what are the psychological underpinnings of accountability in policy and can we balance the tension between learning lessons and apportioning blame in order to inform better decision making in the future? Panellists: Rt Hon David Lammy MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Dame Julie Mellor, former Chair of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Kathryn Scott, Director of Policy at the British Psychological Society Chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the British Psychological Society.

The coronavirus crisis has meant that more of our lives are being lived through technology. How can we make sure that the digitally excluded are not left behind, and that technology does not bake in existing societal and social biases? What role should government and regulators play in this new environment and how can they enable businesses to harness technology to transform how services are delivered, and aid a post-lockdown recovery? Panellists: Chi Onwurah MP, Shadow Minister for Science, Research and Digital Ivana Bartoletti, Co-founder of Women Leading in AI Network Naureen Khan, Chief of Staff, Health & Public Service at Accenture Tracy Vegro, Executive Director, Strategy and Innovation at Solicitors Regulation Authority Chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

What are the Labour Party’s priorities for the UK's international reputation and its place outside of the EU, post-Brexit? What like-minded countries should the UK seek to build coalitions with and what opportunities might there be for the UK to become a global leader? Panellists: Lisa Nandy MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Stephen Bush, Political Editor at the New Statesman Sir Suma Chakrabarti, former Permanent Secretary at DfID and the Ministry of Justice and incoming chair of the Overseas Development Institute Dr Beth Thompson, Head of Policy and Advocacy - UK and EU at Wellcome Trust Chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by Imperial College London and Wellcome Trust.

How is the government's relationship with the public changing in the post-Covid world and how should that affect how government operates? And what implications will there be for how the government uses its resources, runs public services, and makes policy? Panellists: Helen Hayes MP, Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office Areeq Chowdhury, Director of WebRoots Democracy Miriam Levin, Programme Director at Engage Britain Conrad Thompson, Director at PA Consulting Chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by PA Consulting.

Welcome by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, and conference opening discussion with Wes Streeting MP, Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this month's event, the 13th in our series, the speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. Our speakers were: Phil King, Business Development Director at Tableau, on Data-Driven Response and Recovery in Government Thalia Baldwin, Director, Geospatial Commission, on the government's geospatial strategy and the use of geospatial data in government Oscar Wyatt, GOV.UK Data Labs, on how they are using natural language processing to build a deeper understanding of content on GOV.UK Gaia Marcus, Head of National Data Strategy at DCMS, introducing the framework National Data Strategy The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government.

How have journalists approached reporting on the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic? With public compliance key to the government’s response to Covid-19, where does the balance lie between reporting the government’s message and identifying its failing, potentially undermining its effectiveness? How have journalists coped with the logistics of lockdown: lack of face to face contacts, official briefings by phone or zoom call? What is changing now we are in phase two – with more complicated messaging from government, no routine press conference and the action moving to local rather than national lockdowns. On the panel to discuss these questions were: Evan Davis, presenter of PM, BBC Radio 4 Kate McCann, Political Correspondent at Sky News Tom Newton Dunn, presenter and Chief Political Commentator at Times Radio and former Political Editor at The Sun Jennifer Williams, Politics and Investigations Editor at Manchester Evening News The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Negotiations with the EU are far from over. The UK and the EU may or may not reach a deal by the end of the year, and key issues on state aid and fisheries are yet to be resolved. Both sides also need to implement the Withdrawal Agreement in full. During the Article 50 negotiations, parliament played a prominent role in debating – and voting on – the shape of the UK’s exit from the EU. But MPs have largely been cut off from the future relationship negotiations. In this event, we explored how MPs have tried to influence the future relationship negotiations and what they hope to see in the final settlement. Panellists Paul Blomfield MP, Labour Shadow Minister for Brexit and EU Lord Lilley, Conservative Peer and member of the Lords EU Goods Sub-committee Lord Ricketts, Chair of the Lords EU Security and Justice Sub-committee Dr Philippa Whitford, SNP spokesperson for Europe This event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Michael Gove has called for government decision makers to be spread across the country: from Mansfield to Middlesbrough to Merthyr Tydfil. He won’t be the first to have tried to move policy makers out of London. So why have past efforts not worked as hoped? What can the government do differently this time? And will shifting civil servants around the country really change decision making? Or is more radical devolution of power required? Panellists: Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester Philip Rycroft, former Permanent Secretary in the Department for Exiting the EU Lesley-Ann Nash, former Senior Civil Servant at the Cabinet Office Paul Swinney, Director of Policy and Research at the Centre for Cities Chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

How should the civil service measure performance – of individuals and of work programmes? What is the role of the Treasury and how can it get better at it? What data does should government be collecting and how can it best use it? Does the civil service need to get better at evaluation? Panellists: Lord Macpherson, former Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury Aaron Maniam, Deputy Secretary, Industry and Information at the Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore Professor Ngaire Woods, founding Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government Simon Parker, Director of Strategy for the London Borough of Redbridge Chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

Jonathan Slater, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education and Head of the Policy Profession, spoke to Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, about civil service reform.

How can the civil service recruit, retain and reward the right people? What needs to change on pay and opportunities for promotion to reduce staff turnover? What skills and expertise do civil servants need? What type of quantitative skills should the civil service be developing and where do they need to be deployed? What are the barriers to recruiting and retaining engineers, mathematicians and economists? How do different professions fit in? What difference would it make to the quality of policy advice? Panellists: Catherine Baxendale, author of How to best attract, induct and retain talent recruited into the Senior Civil Service Edwina Dunn, CEO of Starcount and Commissioner at the Geospatial Commission Dr Louisa Nolan, Head of Data Science Projects at the Office for National Statistics Matthew Trimming, Senior Adviser at PUBLIC Max Tse, Executive Director at the National Audit Office Chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

What makes this round of civil service reform different from efforts that have gone before? What’s missing from the plans and where is this government getting it wrong? The government’s targets aren’t new – why do the same issues keep coming up? How do you actually get the civil service to change? What can government learn from past rounds of civil service reform? Panellists: Baroness Simone Finn, former Special Adviser, and Non-Executive Director at the Cabinet Office Ravi Gurumurthy, Chief Executive of Nesta Jane Dudman, Public Leadership Editor for the Guardian Dame Sue Owen, former Permanent Secretary at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome former health and foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt. From the earliest stages of the coronavirus pandemic, Jeremy Hunt, Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee, has raised concerns about the government’s response. He discussed where the government has made mistakes, where it has made improvements, and how the NHS has responded to the crisis. The UK’s longest-serving health secretary set out the lessons that both the government and the NHS needs to learn – and what can be done to ensure that the UK is ready to meet a potential second wave of Covid-19. Mr Hunt, who also served as foreign secretary, discussed the global consequences of coronavirus, what lessons can be learned from other countries, and how they can work together in their response to the pandemic. He also discussed the government’s recent decision to fold the Department for International Development into the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

Special advisers play an essential role throughout government. But is their role about to change? With the government altering the way that special advisers are employed, how they are organised across government departments, and the extent to which they report to Number 10, special advisers – and the role play – could find themselves under increased scrutiny. This event looked at how much influence special advisers have over public policy, how their work is scrutinised and what role their minister plays in holding them to account. The event is part of our wider work looking into the role of special advisers, and evaluating current changes the government is making to their work. On our panel to discuss these issues were: Gavin Barwell, former Downing Street Chief of Staff Rt Hon David Lidington, former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Polly Mackenzie, Chief Executive of Demos and former Director of Policy to the Deputy Prime Minister Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Associate Director at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Anneliese Dodds MP for an in conversation event with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. They discussed the government’s economic response to the coronavirus, the implications of Rishi Sunak’s emergency fiscal measures, and what should be done to help businesses and individuals as the furlough scheme is wound down and the lockdown is lifted. The Shadow Chancellor set out Labour’s economic policies and priorities and explain how the opposition’s policies have developed since she succeeded John McDonnell as Shadow Chancellor. Annelise Dodds has been the Member of Parliament for Oxford East since 2017. Before becoming Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer in April 2020, she was Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury from July 2017 – April 2020. Before this she served for three years as a Member of the European Parliament for South East England.

The deadline for extending the Brexit transition period has now passed. Agreement or no agreement, the government insists that the UK will not seek more time beyond the end of the year. With less than six months to go, it is more important than ever that businesses are prepared for a dramatic change in trading conditions. However, over the past few months, coronavirus has rightly dominated the attention and resources of both businesses and government. With many firms reeling from the economic effects of lockdown, preparing for the end of the year will be a tall ask. Ongoing uncertainty about the shape of the UK’s future relationship with the EU only makes the task more difficult. To discuss these issues, we drew together a panel of experts representing businesses of different sizes and across a range of sectors. We asked how prepared businesses are, what more needs to be done and how the government can best help firms prepare. Panellists Sonali Parekh, Head of Policy at the Federation of Small Businesses Ian Wright, Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation George Riddell, Director of Trade Strategy at EY Lloyd Mulkerrins, Policy Manager at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders The event was chaired by Maddy Thimont Jack, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this event, the 12th in our series, our speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each set of speakers had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. In July we heard from: Andrew Morris, Director of Health Data Research UK, on Health Data Science in the Covid-19 era and options and opportunities for the UK. Kerina Jones, Professor of Population Data Science, Swansea University, on information governance and public engagement in using population datasets. Kirby Swales, Deputy Director, and Lan-Ho Man, Principal Research Officer, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, on the potential of linked administrative data in social policy programmes (including Troubled Families and Homelessness Reduction). Professor Betsy Stanko, Senior External Advisor and Amy Summerfield, Head of Engagement, Data and Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice, on MoJ’s pioneering data-linking programme Data First. This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK) for supporting this event.

On 1 July 2020, Germany will take over the rotating six-month presidency of the Council of the EU, the grouping of the 27 EU governments. During this time, it will need to help broker an agreement on the multiannual EU budget and the proposed €750 billion coronavirus recovery fund and forge a new relationship with the UK. Germany has also promised to strengthen EU discussions on climate change and foreign policy, in particular with China. To discuss Germany’s presidency of the EU, Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, will be joined by HE Andreas Michaelis, Germany’s new ambassador to the UK and former permanent secretary to the German Foreign Office.

Negotiations around the future UK–EU relationship are intensifying, with the UK still intending to leave the transition period at the end of this year – with or without a deal. The devolved administrations have a strong interest in the shape of any future agreement with the EU – and in particularly contentious areas like fisheries. They will also be responsible for implementing parts or preparing for no trade deal in devolved areas. And in Northern Ireland, any UK–EU agreement will have implications for how goods are checked at the Irish Sea border. This event looked at how – and how well – the UK government has engaged the devolved administrations in its talks with the EU, and the interests of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can best be represented in any free trade agreement. Panellists: Jenny Gilruth MSP, Minister for Europe and International Development, Scottish government Jeremy Miles MS, Counsel General and Minister for European Transition, Welsh government David Phinnemore, Professor of European Politics, Queen’s University Belfast Maddy Thimont-Jack, Senior Researcher, Institute for Government The event was chaired by Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. There will also be an opportunity for audience questions.

Fisheries has been a major area of contention between the UK and EU during the Brexit process. With an initial ambition to conclude negotiations on fisheries agreement by July, both parties are under pressure to reconcile their divergent positions in under a month – with both sides admitting that an agreement is unlikely. At this event, panellists discussed the importance of fisheries to negotiations, the UK and EU positions and whether a deal can be struck. Panellists also considered the UK’s priorities as an independent coastal state and how this may vary across the nations of the UK. Panellists: Theresa Villiers MP, Former Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Deidre Brock MP, SNP spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Barrie Deas, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations James Kane, Associate at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Maddy Thimont Jack, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

The speed and scale of the support that the UK government rolled out to businesses following its decision to shut down much of the UK economy in March 2020 was unprecedented in peacetime. At this event, panellists discussed how effective the design and implementation of these measures has been, how the government worked with the private sector to understand what was needed and refine the policies, what new difficulties arise as the government tries to lift restrictions and how government should work with businesses to understand those and adapt policy to deliver for the public interest. Panellists: Baroness Morgan of Cotes, former Treasury minister and former chair of the Treasury Select Committee Martin McTague, National Vice Chair Policy and Advocacy at the Federation of Small Businesses Josh Hardie, Deputy Director-General, Policy and Campaigns at the Confederation of British Industry This event was chaired by Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank the Federation of Small Businesses for supporting this event.

The UK and EU are in the middle of their toughest negotiation yet – agreeing their future relationship. With the two sides opening positions clear and the clock ticking, this event will explore the EU’s ambitions for future relations with the UK and some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Stefaan de Rynck, Senior Adviser to Michel Barnier and Head of Task Force for Relations with the UK. He spoke to Joe Owen, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

The UK is taking back control of trade policy in a world transformed by the impact of coronavirus. Following the UK’s exit from the EU in January, it was already a challenge to create a trade strategy that takes barriers to trade with the wider world down, whilst putting new ones up between the UK and its biggest trade partner. As countries begin to espouse the virtues of shorter and more local supply chains, the UK’s strategy of distancing itself from its neighbours to link up with partners on the far side of the globe looks ever more anomalous. How will coronavirus shape the future of international trade, and how can ‘Global Britain’ adapt to a world facing de-globalisation? To discuss these questions, we were joined by: Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, Director of the European Centre for International Political Economy Klemens Kober, Director Trade Policy at the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) and former TTIP negotiator Meredith Crowley, International Trade Economist at the University of Cambridge and senior fellow at UK in a Changing Europe Pauline Bastidon, former Head of Global and EU Policy at the Freight Transport Association. This event was chaired by Joe Owen, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

While the UK government’s response to coronavirus has been widely-criticised, Taiwan has seen fewer than 500 cases of Covid-19 and only seven deaths. For this special IfG Live event, the Taiwanese Digital Minister, Audrey Tang, joined us to explain how the country has contained the virus so successfully without a nationwide 'lockdown'. The minister discussed how Taiwan's existing strength in digital government and experience of the SARS outbreak in 2003 enabled it to respond rapidly, co-ordinating work across government, drawing on innovation in the private sector and civil society, and countering disinformation to keep the public well-informed. Audrey Tang was in conversation with Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this event, the eleventh in our series, our speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each set of speakers had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. In June we heard from: Sean O'Callaghan, Architect and Design Thinking Coach, SAP, on infant mortality in Indiana – data driven government in action. Rachel Tsang, Head of Policy and Strategy, and Catriona Fraser, Policy and Strategy Lead, GOV.UK, on responding to C-19 and how this has accelerated GOV.UK's strategy to develop a more personalised offering for our user Andy Helliwell, Executive Director, Government Shared Services, Cabinet Office, on shared services' critical role before, during and after COVID-19. Natalie Record, Digital Housing and Planning Policy Lead at MHCLG, on how data can transform housing and planning. This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank SAP for supporting this event.

In a matter of weeks, coronavirus has transformed the activity of government. But the immediate crisis won’t last forever, and big choices for citizens and government lie on the horizon. How have citizens’ expectations of public services changed? Will they have more or less trust in government, and what might that mean for the size of the state and any digital legacy? Will the public demand better evidence-based policy making, or have they still had ‘enough of experts’? Will government need to re-write its relationship with business and workers? And what changes will be required of the civil service to fit the post-corona landscape? On the panel to discuss these issues were: Rt Hon Lord O'Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service Ben Page, CEO of Ipsos MORI Vicky Pryce, Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research and former joint head of the Government Economic Service. The discussions was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government with an introduction by Panos Kakoullis, CEO-Elect at PA Consulting.

Successive governments have failed to address the problems facing social care. The Conservatives promised to begin cross-party talks to find a solution within the new government’s first 100 days, but any attempts toward reforming the system have been overtaken by the coronavirus outbreak – which has placed substantial additional pressure on the social care system. This event brought together leading experts to discuss the following questions: What is the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on social care? Which long-term reforms of adult social care should the government prioritise? To what extent will these prepare social care for future crises? What impact will coronavirus have on efforts to build cross-party agreement on fixing social care? Is the government’s approach likely to succeed? Our panel included: Liz Kendall MP, Shadow Social Care Minister Sally Warren, Director of Policy, King’s Fund Greg Allen, CEO, Future Care Capital Nicholas Timmins, Senior Fellow, Institute for Government The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director, Institute for Government. We would like to thank Future Care Capital for supporting this event.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this event, the tenth in our series, our speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. In May we heard from: Tom MacInnes, Chief Analyst at Citizens Advice, on what traffic to their website tells us about what the population were worried about in the first phase of the Covid19 crisis. Eleanor Stewart, Head of Transparency at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on data as diplomacy. Glen Robinson, National Technology Officer for Microsoft UK, on keeping data safe and the benefits of scale. Terence Eden, Head of Open Technology at NHSX, on why making things open makes them better. This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government.

Lifting lockdown: how to approach a coronavirus exit strategy by Institute for Government

Data Bites #9: Getting things done with data in government by Institute for Government

Successive UK governments have tried to use independent commissions, cross-party agreements and public engagement to diffuse politically contentious issues. Most recently, the Johnson government has pledged cross-party talks on social care and a royal commission on justice, and six House of Commons committees are running a citizens’ assembly on climate change. This panel debate assessed the pros and cons of different approaches and how they can be deployed most effectively. Our panel included: Sir John Gieve, former Permanent Secretary at the Home Office Professor Sir John Hills, former Member of the Pensions Commission Dame Julie Mellor, Chair of Demos Professor Dawn Oliver, former Member of the Royal Commission on Reform of the House of Lords. This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Mervyn King and John Kay to discuss their new book – Radical Uncertainty. They talked about the confusion in how we think about risk and uncertainty, and about the extent bogus quantification and the policy errors which result. Gemma Tetlow, chief economist at the IfG joined the panel, which was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, director of the Institute for Government. Professor John Kay is an economist with wide experience in academia, business, finance and public policy. For 20 years he wrote a regular column for the Financial Times. Lord King of Lothbury was Governor of the Bank of England from 2003-13.

The collapse of Carillion was driven by the reckless behaviour of the company’s directors, but government admitted its own approach to outsourcing had often been poor, and the system of checks and balances had not worked. Two years on, this panel discussed the findings of a new Institute for Government report assessing whether government has succeeded in implementing reforms. Tom Sasse, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government, presented the key findings. The panel included: Chris Luck, CEO of Shaw Trust Liz Crowhurst, Head of Infrastructure and Public Sector Policy at CBI The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

Boris Johnson accepted a Northern Ireland protocol when he negotiated a new withdrawal agreement with the European Union last October. This protocol creates special customs and regulatory arrangements for Northern Ireland to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, and will come into force when the transition periods ends on 31 December – irrespective of the future trading relationship between the rest of the UK and the EU. But many of the details of how the protocol will work in practice remain to be agreed – and there is little time left for new systems and processes to be put in place to meet the UK's legal commitments. This event examined how the Northern Ireland protocol might operate, what needs to be done to make it work, and its political and constitutional implications. Our panel included: Stephen Farry MP, Alliance Party Deputy Leader and MP for North Down Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive of Manufacturing NI Dr Anna Jerzewska, independent customs and trade adviser Denis Staunton, London Editor, The Irish Times The event was chaired by Joe Owen, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The government spends £284 billion – almost a third of its total expenditure – on external suppliers. The money spent goes to a complex web of organisations, including large contractors, SMEs, charities, housing associations and academy chains, who all deliver public services. But while public service delivery has changed, the law has not kept up – and there is less information about outsourced services than those delivered directly by the government. At this event, we discussed: What additional information should government routinely publish about outsourced public services? Whether the Freedom of Information Act 2000 should be extended to all providers of public services? How public services can be made more transparent without placing burdens on SMEs, charities and other small providers? Our panel included: Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee Kate Steadman, Group Strategy & Communications Director, Serco Karl Wilding, Chief Executive at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations Steve Wood, Deputy Commissioner (Policy) at the Information Commissioner’s Office The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

The UK has left the European Union and the Withdrawal Agreement is now in force. While this should mean the rights of EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU are protected, the millions of people affected makes this an almost impossible task. This event, held in partnership with Fragomen, looked at progress and problems with securing citizens’ rights after Brexit. Our panel included: Caroline Nokes, former Immigration Minister Julia Onslow-Cole, Partner at Fragomen LLP Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory Caitlin Boswell Jones, Project Officer (EEA Nationals) at JCWI Nuria González-Barros, counsellor at the Spanish Embassy The event was chaired by Joe Owen, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The new government has set out ambitious plans for infrastructure and has prioritised rebalancing the economy. Yet there is uncertainty around major projects such as HS2, and infrastructure planning and delivery has often been hamstrung by poor coordination between central government, the wider public sector and industry. Ahead of the publication of the government’s first National Infrastructure Strategy, this event discussed the following key questions: How can the Treasury effectively coordinate infrastructure decision-making across central government? How can central government work with combined authorities and sub-national transport bodies, such as Midlands Connect, to deliver its plans? How can government put in place a clear plan for projects that can provide certainty to industry? Our panel included: Bridget Rosewell CBE, Commissioner for the National Infrastructure Commission Karen Smart, Managing Director of East Midlands Airport Tom Thackray, Infrastructure Director at the Confederation of British Industry Another speaker to be announced This event was chaired by Nick Davies, programme director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

The creation of the Industrial Strategy Council was a commitment in the UK government’s Industrial Strategy white paper, published in November 2017. The Council’s remit is to provide impartial and expert evaluation of the government’s progress in delivering the aims of the Industrial Strategy – a long-term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK. The Council provides external, independent challenge to government on whether the Industrial Strategy is having a positive impact. At this event, we discussed the Council’s first annual report, which will set out its evaluation of the policies contained within the 2017 Industrial Strategy white paper. The panel included: Andy Haldane, Chair of the Industrial Strategy Council Kate Barker, member of the Industrial Strategy Council and National Infrastructure Commission Matthew Taylor, member of the Industrial Strategy Council and Chief Executive of the RSA This event was chaired by Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome The Rt Hon Geoffrey Cox QC MP to discuss the role of the attorney general. He was talking to Bronwen Maddox, director of the Institute for Government followed by an opportunity for audience Q&A. The attorney general is chief legal adviser to the Crown, as well as overseeing the Law Officers’ departments, which include the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office. He is principal legal adviser on questions of international law, human rights and devolution issues; and considers legal aspects of all major international and domestic litigation involving the government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Sir Jonathan Jones KCB QC, Treasury Solicitor, Permanent Secretary at the Government Legal Department and Head of the Government Legal Profession. Sir Jonathan discussed the work and role of government lawyers in making policy, advising ministers and defending the government in court. Raphael Hogarth, Associate at the Institute for Government, chaired a discussion with Sir Jonathan and Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. There was also be an opportunity for audience questions.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this event, the eighth in our series and first of 2020, our speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each set of speakers has eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. If you're interested in our previous Data Bites events, all video and audio is available here In February we heard from: - Stan Gilmour, Head of Public Protection for Thames Valley Police, on the potential of combined data for early intervention and prevention - Marcus Bell, Director of the Cabinet Office Race Disparity Unit, on how data transparency can be a good way of tackling inequality - Anna Powell-Smith, Founder of Missing Numbers, on the data the government doesn't collect - Dr Stephen Lorimer, Head of Public Sector Data Policy at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, on improving the use of data across Government: how big is the challenge? This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK) for supporting this event

The UK’s exit from the European Union has prompted many calls for the UK government to change the way it organises foreign policy, development aid, trade and security. Some argue that reform would help by giving a “single” foreign policy, would allocate money more in line with the UK’s interests – and would trim the number of ministers sitting at the cabinet table. Others retort that the UK has gone to great lengths to separate the goals of its foreign, aid and trade policies and mergers of departments would deliberately conflate those goals again. Our panel discussed whether the current arrangement supports foreign policy objectives, whether changes should be made and whether the UK can learn anything from other countries. Our panel included: Crispin Blunt MP, former chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, director of the US and the Americas Programme, Chatham House Sophia Gaston, director of the British Foreign Policy Group The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The government has announced its intention to repeal the Fixed-term Parliaments Act (FTPA), the controversial piece of legislation that limited the prime minister’s power to seek an early election. But what would it mean if this power is returned to the prime minister? Can a prerogative power be restored? And what would be lost if the FTPA no longer existed? Our panel included: Matthew Hanney, partner at Flint Global and former special adviser at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Professor Meg Russell, director of the Constitution Unit Mark Harper MP, former chief whip and former minister for political and constitutional reform Raphael Hogarth, associate at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, senior fellow at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

In the Queen’s Speech in December, the government confirmed that it intends to establish a new constitution, democracy and rights commission in this Parliament. The commission offers an opportunity to reflect on some of the challenges to the UK constitution. At present, however, the scope and terms of reference of the commission remain unclear. This expert panel discussed what issues the new commission should address, and recommendations to ensure the body is as effective as possible. Our panel included: Lord Sumption, former Supreme Court justice Gina Miller, campaigner and founding partner of SCM Direct Gisela Stuart, member of the Constitutional Reform Group Steering Committee and chair of Wilton Park Dr Catherine Haddon, senior fellow at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The UK will leave the European Union on 31 January. But that is not the end of the Brexit process. The UK and the EU now have less than 11 months to reach a trade deal. Meanwhile, the government and business must also prepare for life outside the EU’s market and customs union. This event explored the challenges that lie ahead. Our panel included: Stephen Adams, senior director at Global Counsel Stefanie Bolzen, UK correspondent for Die Welt Tony Smith CBE, former director general of the UK Border Force Mike Spicer, director of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce The event was chaired by Georgina Wright, senior researcher at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The Institute for Government hosted the annual lecture by its director, Bronwen Maddox. In her speech, Bronwen looked at Boris Johnson’s programme and the implications for government in Whitehall and throughout the UK. The event was chaired by Sir Richard Lambert. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

The new government is considering making changes to the departmental map to better reflect its priorities. At this event, panellists discussed whether recreating a department for energy and climate change would help the government make progress towards its net zero target. Sir Edward Davey, acting co-leader of the Liberal Democrats and former secretary of state for the Department for Energy and Climate Change Angela Francis, chief adviser, economics and economic development at WWF UK Angela Hepworth, policy and regulation director at EDF Energy Guy Newey, strategy and performance director at Energy Systems Catapult and former special adviser at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, senior fellow at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Nick Smallwood, Chief Executive of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) to deliver a keynote speech. Nick Smallwood set out his vision for the IPA and the Government Project Delivery Function. The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

In 2016, the-then foreign secretary Boris Johnson said “while the UK is leaving the EU, it is not leaving Europe”. The UK and the EU will still need to deal with shared problems such as climate change and terrorism. The UK will also want to shape EU rules on data and health and safety standards that will continue to affect it after Brexit. But the UK will find it much harder to do so once it is no longer ‘in the room’. In this session, speakers explored how the UK must adapt the ways it engages the EU and why failing to do so could damage its long-term interests. Our panel: Nicole Sykes, head of EU negotiations at the Confederation of British Industry Joe Owen, programme director at the Institute for Government Georgina Wright, senior researcher at the Institute for Government Alex Stojanovic, researcher at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, senior fellow at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

The Institute for Government launched Whitehall Monitor 2020, our annual report on the size, shape and performance of government and the civil service in the last 12 months. But as well as looking at what the data tells us about the past year, and with government and civil service reform in the news, our panel considered what it all means in the years ahead. How much of a problem is staff turnover? Does the civil service have the right skills for the future? What will happen to major government projects? What will the future shape of government look like? Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, presented the key findings. We heard responses from: Chris Cook, Partner and Editor at Tortoise Media Charlotte Pickles, Director of Reform Nitika Argawal, Chief Operating Officer at Apolitical The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome the Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP to give a keynote speech on 'Getting Whitehall Ready for Global Britain'. He was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, director of the Institute for Government. This was followed by an audience Q&A. Dr Liam Fox MP served as secretary of state for international trade from 2016 to 2019 and secretary of state for defence from 2010 to 2011. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been the Member of Parliament for North Somerset since 1992.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Gavin Barwell, former Downing Street Chief of Staff to Theresa May. He discussed working in Number 10 and the role of the Chief of Staff. He was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions. Lord Barwell was the chief of staff to the prime minister from 2017–19. He was the Member of Parliament for Croydon Central from 2010–17. He served as minister of state for housing and planning at the Department for Communities and Local Government and was previously in the Whips’ Office.

Boris Johnson now has the majority he needs to pass the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the House of Commons. This event looked at what the bill does – and doesn’t – say as well as the prospect for any amendment in the House of Lords. Our panel included: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town, Shadow Deputy Labour Leader in the House of Lords Lord Anderson of Ipswich QC, Crossbench Peer and Barrister at Brick Court Chambers Stephen Crabb MP, former Secretary of State for Wales and for Work and Pensions Joanna Cherry QC MP, SNP Justice and Home Affairs spokesperson and MP for Edinburgh South West The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

Page 48 of the Conservative manifesto proposed constitutional reforms that included looking at the relationship between the government, Parliament and the courts, the functioning of the Royal Prerogative and repealing the Fixed-term Parliaments Act. What will this constitutional review involve and what might its consequences be? Our panel included: Douglas Carswell, MP for Clacton from 2005 to 2017 and co-founder of Vote Leave. He has recently started the Good Governance Project. Hilary Benn, Chair of the Exiting the EU Committee and former Shadow Leader of the House from 2010-2011. Chris White, managing director of Newington Communications and former Special Adviser to Patrick McLoughlin, Andrew Lansley and William Hague. Catherine Haddon, senior fellow at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Hannah White, deputy director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

One of the top priorities for Boris Johnson’s new government is ‘getting Brexit done’ – but what does that involve? This event looked at prospects for the next phase of negotiations, Parliament’s role, and what the government and the civil service needs to do to prepare. Our panel included: · Raoul Ruparel, former Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Europe · Joe Owen, Programme Director on Brexit, Institute for Government · Georgina Wright, Senior Researcher, Institute for Government · Maddy Thimont Jack, Senior Researcher, Institute for Government The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The 2019 General Election is one of the most unpredictable and important elections in recent times. On the morning after polling day, we discussed the result – and what happens next. Our panel included: Will Tanner, director of Onward and former deputy head of policy in No.10 Joe Owen, Brexit programme director at the Institute for Government Dr Gemma Tetlow, chief economist at the Institute for Government Giles Wilkes, senior fellow at the Institute for Government and former special adviser to Theresa May. The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

The main political parties are offering strikingly different visions for the future of the country, including radically different economic policy agendas. Whichever party forms the next government, it is likely to take a different approach to economic policy from previous administrations. Does the Treasury need to rethink how it approaches economic policy? And does it have the ability and inclination to do so? Our panel of economic thinkers from across the political spectrum discussed whether Treasury economic thinking needs to change and how well prepared the department is to support a government with a new agenda. Nick Macpherson, former permanent secretary to the Treasury Stian Westlake, Former executive director of policy and research, Nesta Ann Pettifor, director of Policy Research in Macroeconomics (PRIME) The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, chief economist at the Institute for Government There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

This event was aimed at people who may not have considered public policy research before. We were particularly interested in encouraging those from diverse backgrounds who would bring different perspectives to our efforts to make government more effective. Since it was established in 2009, the Institute for Government has steadily expanded its reputation as the UK’s leading think tank dedicated to improving government. We work closely with senior politicians and civil servants to explore the key challenges facing government. We conduct independent research and analysis to support our arguments for change and bring together high-profile UK and international speakers at our public discussions. This event wa an opportunity to find out more about the world of think tanks, the Institute for Government, and to answer your questions. The Institute offers five paid three- to six-month internships starting in March and September each year. At this event, we covered: What is a think tank? How does a think tank work? What does a researcher do? What is it like to be an intern? What is the Institute looking for? What is the application process? Followed by small group Q&A, discussion and refreshments.

The United Kingdom heads to the polls on 12 December. But how well does this electoral system work? Is ‘first past the post’ still the right system for the UK, and if not, what should replace it and how can we get there? What should we make of recent proposals to lower the voting age to 16 and introduce voter ID? What other changes might be required to produce a Parliament that better reflects public will? In this panel discussion, we asked how well the electoral system works, how it affects trust in government and Parliament, and how it might be improved. Our panel included: Antony Green, election analyst at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Darren Hughes, chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society John McTernan, commentator and former adviser to Tony Blair Mandu Reid, leader of the Women’s Equality Party. The event was chaired by Emma Norris, director of research at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

The Labour Party says privatisation has failed: if it wins the election, it will bring utilities including water, energy, rail and mail back into public ownership. The Conservative Party acknowledges some problems but maintains that utilities markets have delivered savings. At this event, an expert panel discussed the pros and cons of different manifesto promises. Speakers included: James Meadway, former policy adviser to John McDonnell Giles Wilkes, senior fellow at the Institute for Government and former special adviser to Theresa May Sharon Darcy, director of Sustainability First The event was chaired by Gemma Tetlow, chief economist at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

Boris Johnson promised on the steps of Downing Street to “fix the crisis in social care once and for all” and the Labour Party has already promised to introduce free personal care for older people. But the question of how to reform and fund adult social care has been asked of – and left unanswered by – successive governments. We brought together a panel of experts to assess the extent to which the social care policies put forward by the parties in their manifestos could help fix the problems facing social care. Our panel included: Lord Warner, former minister of state for health Sally Warren, director of policy at The King’s Fund Charles Tallack, assistant director at The Health Foundation Nick Davies, programme director at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, deputy director at the Institute for Government.

The directors of three of the UK’s most trusted and respected independent bodies talk about what has been promised in this election campaign, what challenges will face the new government (whatever its complexion), and where next for Brexit. Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Bronwen Maddox of the Institute for Government and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe subject the parties’ claims to desperately needed scrutiny, challenging their assumptions and setting out the real priorities for the next Parliament. This was a unique opportunity to learn more about the choices really facing the country and what the parties’ policies might actually mean. No politicians, no spin, just experts and you.

The performance of public services is a key election battle ground. After a decade of spending restraint, all political parties are now promising to invest in critical services such as hospitals, schools and social care. But how can the next government ensure new money is spent well? What’s the best way to reduce wasteful spending and deliver high quality services? How can public service leaders be held to account? We were delighted to be joined by leading thinker and author John Seddon to discuss these themes from his new book Beyond Command and Control. He was joined on the panel by: David Walker, journalist and former managing director of the Audit Commission Kathy Evans, chief executive at Children England The event was chaired by Nick Davies, programme director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

The 2019 General Election manifestos set out ambitious competing visions for government. This expert panel event looked at what the manifestos tell us about the key issues facing the country, and how plausible these rival programmes for government really are. Our panel included: Rachel Sylvester, political columnist at The Times Joseph Owen, Director of Brexit programme at the Institute for Government Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and former special adviser to Theresa May Nick Davies, Director of Public Services programme at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.

The use of personal data by political parties, targeted online advertising, the spread of information, misinformation and disinformation on social media – technology has transformed how election campaigns unfold in the 21st century. But have our rules and regulations kept pace with technology? Is it possible to run a free and fair election in 2019? And does new technology provide opportunities to improve our electoral system, as well as dangers to be avoided? Our expert panel tackled these questions, and more. Our panel included: Sir John Holmes, chair of the Electoral Commission Liz Carolan, head of Digital Action and co-founder of the Transparent Referendum Initiative Dr Martin Moore, director of the Centre for the Study of Communication, Media and Power at King’s College, London and author of Democracy Hacked Will Moy, director of Full Fact. The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, programme director at the Institute for Government.

The performance of public services is a key election battle ground. After a decade of spending restraint, all political parties are now promising to invest in critical services such as hospitals, schools and social care. But how can the next government ensure new money is spent well? What’s the best way to reduce wasteful spending and deliver high quality services? How can public service leaders be held to account? We were delighted to be joined by leading thinker and author John Seddon to discuss these themes from his new book Beyond Command and Control. He was joined on the panel by: David Walker, journalist and former managing director of the Audit Commission Kathy Evans, chief executive at Children England The event was chaired by Nick Davies, programme director at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this event, the seventh in our series, our speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each set of speakers had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. In November, we heard from: Miranda Sharp, innovation director at Ordnance Survey, on Geospatial’s role in better citizen outcomes Nic Granger, director of corporate at the Oil and Gas Authority, on Digital Excellence – using data as a catalyst for creating economic value David Kane, product lead at 360 Giving, on the potential of charity data Miranda Marcus, research & development programme lead at the Open Data Institute, on using open and shared data to improve local public services This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, programme director and head of data and transparency at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank the Ordnance Survey for supporting this event.

The government must pass the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in order to leave the EU with a deal. The legislation will become the key Brexit battleground in Parliament. This event looked at the challenges the government faces in passing the bill, its constitutional significance and the possible routes through. Our panel included: Raoul Ruparel, former Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Europe Maddy Thimont-Jack, Senior Researcher, Institute for Government Raphael Hogarth, Associate, Institute for Government The event was chaired by Joe Owen, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

On 4 November the House of Commons will elect its new Speaker. With Parliament in the spotlight, the approach that candidates propose to take to the challenges that will face the next Commons Speaker – from the interpretation of procedure, to the restoration of the Palace of Westminster and Parliament’s engagement with the public – is of greater significance than ever. This event with candidates running to become the next Speaker explored these important questions. Participants included: Henry Bellingham MP Chris Bryant MP Harriet Harman MP Meg Hillier MP Eleanor Laing MP Shailesh Vara MP The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

Successive British governments have failed to address well-known problems with the tax system. The Institute for Government is looking at why it has been so hard to make significant, sensible reforms to the tax system, and what could be changed to make this easier in future. To better understand the barriers to reform and potential solutions, this event invited a series of tax reform advocates to pitch their ideas to a panel of tax experts. Tax experts Rupert Harrison, Portfolio Manager at BlackRock and former special adviser to George Osborne Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Paul Wallace, economic journalist and author (former European Economics Editor at The Economist) Tax reformers Sam Bowman, Senior Fellow and former Executive Director of the Adam Smith Institute Shreya Nanda, Economist at the Institute for Public Policy Research Alfie Stirling, Head of Economics at the New Economics Foundation The event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist, Institute for Government This event forms part of a series sponsored by Deloitte.

Governing in an era of political disruption: view from the Australian Senate by Institute for Government

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this event, the sixth in our series, our speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each set of speakers had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. We heard from: John Sheridan, Digital Director at The National Archives, on legislation as data - meeting the challenge of Brexit Dr Natalie Byrom, Director of Research and Learning at The Legal Education Foundation, on Digital Justice: HMCTS data strategy and delivering access to justice Adam Locker, Data Architect at the Food Standards Agency, on fix the plumbing: a user’s guide Ben Coleman, Data Analytics Lead at the National Audit Office, on the NAO’s Data Service – a local solution to the problems caused by inconsistent government data releases This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank The Legal Education Foundation for supporting this event.

The Institute for Government launched a new report Governing without Ministers, looking at how Northern Ireland has functioned without ministers for nearly 1,000 days. The report provides an analysis of the history of power-sharing in Northern Ireland, how Northern Ireland has operated since the collapse of the executive in 2017, the consequences of these arrangements, and how a future executive could be supported once restored. The panel discussed the past, present and future governance challenges facing Northern Ireland. It included: Sir Jonathan Phillips KCB, Warden at Keble College, Oxford and former Permanent Secretary of the Northern Ireland Office (2005–10) Peter May, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Justice, Northern Ireland Civil Service Owen Sims, Senior Policy Officer at CBI Northern Ireland Jill Rutter, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Jess Sargeant, Researcher at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director, Institute for Government

The government has released papers setting out what could happen if the UK left the EU without a deal. This event explored what those papers tell us about a no-deal Brexit and how the government is preparing. Our panel included: Hilary Benn MP – Chair of the Exiting the EU Committee Philip Rycroft – former Permanent Secretary, Department of Exiting the EU Rosamund Urwin – Senior Reporter, The Sunday Times Dr Graham Gudgin – Chief Economic Adviser, Policy Exchange Joe Owen – Programme Director, Institute for Government The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, programme director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

Deal or no deal, the UK will take up an independent seat at the World Trade Organization after Brexit. This event explored what role the UK should play and how can it defend its interests in an organisation under pressure to reform. Our panel included: Nick-Ashton Hart – Geneva Representative for Digital Trade Network Bernardine Adkins - Head of EU, Trade and Competition at Gowling WLG LLP Iana Dreyer – Editor of Borderlex, European trade policy specialist Dr. Stephanie Rickard – Professor of International Trade at LSE The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The government announced spending plans for 2020-21 on 4 September and will be carrying out a further multi-year review in 2020. In their different ways, both Boris Johnson’s government and the Labour Party have been promising to spend lots of money to bring about change which they think voters want. But past experience shows it is far from easy for governments to turn money into value and impact. At this event, we hosted a discussion on spending, performance and the role of the Treasury, with: Sir Michael Barber, distinguished adviser to governments in the UK and abroad Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Martin Wheatley, Senior Fellow and author of a new Institute report The Treasury’s responsibility for the results of public spending. The discussion was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

A string of high-profile failures – from security at the Olympics to probation – has put Britain’s outsourcing model under intense scrutiny, and led to calls for a wide range of services to be brought back into government hands. But in some areas, the evidence shows outsourcing has delivered better and cheaper services. At this event, we launched a new report which assesses the record of outsourcing over the last four decades and sets out how to improve the way government contracts out services. To discuss the findings, our panel included: The Rt Hon. Sir David Lidington MP, Member of Parliament for Aylesbury and former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Rachel Reeves MP, Member of Parliament for Leeds West and Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee Richard Cockett, Senior Editor, The Economist Tom Sasse, Senior Researcher, Institute for Government The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director, Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome journalist and author Marie LeConte to discuss these themes from her new book Haven't You Heard? Gossip, Power, and How Politics Really Works. She was joined on the panel by: Matthew O'Toole, journalist and former civil servant in Number 10 and HM Treasury Tara O'Reilly, founder of Women in Westminster and co-ordinator for the Labour Tribune MPs Group. Duncan Robinson, political correspondent for The Economist. The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions. Marie Le Conte is a political journalist who writes for publications including Prospect Magazine, Guardian, GQ and the New Statesman. She has appeared on Any Questions, Today Programme, Newsnight, and many others.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this event, the fifth in our series, four organisations presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each set of speakers had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. We heard from: Oli Vogel, Head of Recovery Performance at Indesser, on using data to identify vulnerable service users and treat them more fairly Emma Gordon, Director, Strategic Hub at Administrative Data Research UK, on how government can make better use of administrative data for research Graeme Thomson, Programme Director Counter Fraud (Data Analytics, Capability Development, and Pilots), Cabinet Office, on transforming capability in data and analytics to deal with public sector fraud Sam Tazzyman, Head of Data Engineering and Analytical Platform, Ministry of Justice, on the future of data in the MoJ This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Equifax for supporting this event.

As MPs return from summer recess, the key issue in Parliament will be Brexit and a potential showdown with the government. This event explored what options available to each side and where the key challenges lie. Our panel included: Alistair Burt MP, former Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (joint with the Department for International Development) Paul Evans, former Clerk of Committees, House of Commons Sebastian Payne, Whitehall Correspondent, Financial Times Maddy Thimont Jack, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government The discussion was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

As Parliament prepares to return for one of the most important periods in British history, the Institute for Government was delighted to welcome the Rt Hon Tony Blair, Executive Chairman of The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and former Prime Minister of the UK. He delivered a speech on Brexit and the current UK political landscape, followed by a conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Tony Blair served as Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1997 to 2007. He has established the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change to work on some of the most difficult challenges in the world today.

After 20 years of devolution, this event explored whether devolution has worked, through the lens of its impact on policy, the economy, trust in politics, and the Union. The event also launched a collection of essays entitled: Has Devolution Worked? which includes an exclusive interview with Tony Blair. Joining the panel to discuss these themes were: Tony Travers, Professor of Government at LSE, Director of LSE London, and contributor to Has Devolution Worked? Rachel Ormston, Research Director, Ipsos MORI Scotland, who has written extensively about public trust in politics and government, national identity and constitutional change David Torrance, Senior Library Clerk in the House of Commons, author of Salmond: Against the Odds, and contributor to Has Devolution Worked? Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government, and co-editor of Has Devolution Worked? Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government chaired the event. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome the Rt Hon. Andrea Leadsom MP, Conservative Member of Parliament for South Northamptonshire, and the former Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons She spoke about her role as the Leader of the Commons, specifically her reflections on parliamentary reform, including proxy voting, bullying and harassment in Parliament and restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster. The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome David Sterling, Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, to give a keynote speech. He discussed the challenge of governing in the absence of the power-sharing executive and how this has affected policy decisions, including Brexit preparations and negotiations. He was in conversation with Jill Rutter, Programme Director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions. David Sterling became Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service in July 2017.

Too often the discussion about public spending is about how much is spent, not whether it is spent usefully. But as the UK’s foreign aid spending watchdog, the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) focuses specifically on how well public money is spent. This event was an opportunity to discuss what we can learn from ICAI about the value of independent scrutiny of public spending, and how this model can be applied to other sectors. Dr Tamsyn Barton, ICAI Chief Commissioner opened the event with a short presentation on ICAI’s work over the last four years and plans for the next four. She joined a panel discussion, with: Paul Scully MP, Chair of the ICAI sub-committee of the International Development Committee Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Development Martin Wheatley, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Hannah White, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The Government is due to set out its vision for the rail industry, including the way that passenger services are delivered. This is an important moment for transport in this country, and requires central government, local government and the private sector to work seamlessly together. What should the role of the Department for Transport be in managing the railways? Who should be held to account when things go wrong? What is the balance between national and local priorities and decision making? Panellists included: Lilian Greenwood MP, Chair of the House of Commons Transport Committee Baroness Susan Kramer, former Minister of State for Transport Paul Plummer, Chief Executive of the Rail Delivery Group. The discussion was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions. We would like to thank the Rail Delivery Group for supporting this event.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this event, the fourth in our Data Bites series, four organisations presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each set of speakers has eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. We will hear from: Catherine Bromley, Office for Statistics Regulation, on their expectations of statistics producers to fulfil the potential of data to serve the public good Dr Jane Kennedy, Head of Research and Data Hub at the London Borough of Newham, on Newham’s Data Warehouse Ganesh Senthi, Senior Product Manager, GOV.UK, on using machine learning to help users find content Michael Birtwistle, Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, on their AI Barometer This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank the Office for Statistics Regulation for supporting this event.

Both candidates for Conservative Party leadership have said they would be willing to take the UK out of the EU without a deal. But there has been very little public information about how the Government plans to cope with a no deal Brexit. At this event, our panel discussed what no deal might mean for the UK, how ‘ready’ both Government and business will be for no deal in October, and how to make best use of the next four months. Our panel included: Karen Wheeler, former Director General, Cross Government Border Delivery Group, HMRC Allie Renison, Head of Europe and Trade Policy, Institute of Directors Lorand Bartels, Senior Counsel, Linklaters The discussion was chaired by Joe Owen, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Nick Boles, independent Member of Parliament for Grantham and Stamford. He discussed the state of British politics, the challenges for the Conservative Party and the road ahead for Brexit. He was in conversation with Jill Rutter, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was also be an opportunity for audience questions. Nick Boles was a Conservative MP before resigning the whip in March over the refusal of his party to back a compromise way forward on Brexit. He held a variety of ministerial positions in the Cameron administration.

Starting a career in public policy – salaried internships by Institute for Government

The new Prime Minister is expected to be in place before summer recess. They will need to set up their office, choose their Cabinet and outline their priorities, at the same time as dealing with Brexit and the challenges of minority government. What skills do they need to do this well? And what can they learn from those who have gone before? Our panel, who have served in various administrations, discussed what the incoming Prime Minister needs to do to ensure they achieve their goals. Panellists included: Baroness Kate Fall, former Deputy Chief of Staff to David Cameron Sir Mark Lyall Grant, former National Security Adviser Jill Rutter, Programme Director at the Institute for Government and author of Centre Forward Iain Martin, commentator and columnist The discussion was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Peter Riddell, author of Fifteen Minutes of Power: The Uncertain Life of British Ministers, for a panel discussion to discuss key themes from the book including how they get appointed, reshuffled and perhaps sacked, how they manage the day-to-day workload and navigate crises, and how we might improve effectiveness. Panellists included: Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, former Minister of State for Health (2001–03), Industry and the Regions (2003–05) and Schools and Learning (2005–06) and former Home Secretary (2007–09) Rt Hon Lord Willetts, former Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (2010–14) Baroness (Susan) Kramer, former Minister of State for Transport (2013–15) Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, Chair of the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee. The discussion was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

IfG10 Session Two - Developing people and skills by Institute for Government

Panellists: Robert Chote, Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility Anneliese Dodds MP, Shadow Financial Secretary Nicky Morgan MP, Chair of the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee. Chair: Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Recorded at the Institute for Government 10-year Anniversary Conference on 12 June 2019.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill to deliver a keynote speech on future public service challenges. The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions. Sir Mark Sedwill has served as Cabinet Secretary since 2018 and National Security Adviser since 2017.

Keynote speech by Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, Singapore Government Chair: Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Recorded at the Institute for Government 10-year Anniversary Conference on 12 June 2019.

Panellists: Rupert Soames, CEO of Serco Chris Giles, journalist at the Financial Times Joshua Reddaway, Head of Practice, Commercial & Contracting VFM at the National Audit Office. Chair: Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government Recorded as part of the Institute for Government 10-year Anniversary Conference on 12 June 2019.

Keynote speech by Sendhil Mullainathan, Professor of Computation and Behavioural Science at the University of Chicago Panellists: Dr David Halpern, Chief Executive of the Behavioural Insights Team Rachel Glennerster, Chief Economist at the Department for International Development. Chair: Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director, Head of Data and Transparency, at the Institute for Government Recorded as part of the Institute for Government's 10-year Anniversary Conference.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Peter Riddell, author of Fifteen Minutes of Power: The Uncertain Life of British Ministers, for a panel discussion to discuss key themes from the book including how they get appointed, reshuffled and perhaps sacked, how they manage the day-to-day workload and navigate crises, and how we might improve effectiveness. Panellists included: Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, former Minister of State for Health (2001–03), Industry and the Regions (2003–05) and Schools and Learning (2005–06) and former Home Secretary (2007–09) Rt Hon Lord Willetts, former Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (2010–14) Baroness (Susan) Kramer, former Minister of State for Transport (2013–15) Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, Chair of the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee. The discussion was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data. But those projects don’t get the attention they deserve. At this event, the third in our series, four organisations presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each set of speakers had eight minutes, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience. We heard from: William Priest, Chief Executive of the Geospatial Commission, on the work of the Commission Andy Dudfield, Chief Publishing Officer at the Office for National Statistics, on data and the web David Fry, Chief Statistician, and Luke Perera, Head of Data Science at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on how data science has allowed the department to tackle old problems in new ways Yvonne Gallagher, Director of Value for Money, Digital at the National Audit Office, on the challenges in using data in government. This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Professor Gary Sturgess, former Cabinet Secretary in Australia’s New South Wales state government and leading expert on outsourcing and competition. He was in conversation with Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, to discuss the challenges facing government outsourcing in the UK and abroad, drawing on lessons from Australia. The conversation was followed by audience questions. Professor Gary Sturgess is an Adjunct Professor with the Australia and New Zealand School of Government and former Executive Director of the Serco Institute.

Between 23 and 26 May, EU citizens went to the polls to elect a new European Parliament. The outcome has wide-ranging implications, from who gets the EU’s top jobs to deciding the EU’s priorities over the next five years including Brexit. Both the centre-right and centre-left parliamentary groupings were expected to lose seats. And while populist parties are on track to securing over one third of seats, they remain divided over the kind of European Union they want. In this session, speakers explored how this election played out across EU countries and what the outcome will mean for the EU going forward. Our panel included: Stefanie Bolzen, London Correspondent for Welt Sonia Delesalle-Stolper, London Correspondent for Liberation Professor Sara Hobolt, Sutherland Chair in European Institutions and from the London School of Economics. The event was chaired by Georgina Wright, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome The Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP, Secretary of State for International Trade, to discuss the creation of the Department for International Trade. He was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions. The Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP has served as Secretary of State for International Trade since 2016. He is Member of Parliament for North Somerset.

Once the UK has formally left the EU, it must negotiate its long-term relationship with Brussels. These negotiations will cover a much wider range of areas than the withdrawal negotiations and there will be an even greater time pressure. Drawing on our recent publication and inquiries of the House of Lords EU Select Committee, this event discussed the big challenges in negotiating the longer term relationship between the UK and EU. Panellists included: Lord Ricketts, member of the House of Lords EU Select Committee and former Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Stephen Adams, Executive Director, Global Counsel Jane Thomas, Brexit Civil Society Alliance Tim Durrant, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. The discussion was chaired by Jill Rutter, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Rt Hon Mark Drakeford AM, First Minister of Wales, to deliver a keynote speech on the future of devolution and the UK after Brexit. The speech was delivered 20 years after the first elections to the National Assembly for Wales. It formed part of a series of events at the Institute reflecting on the first two decades of devolution and considering where devolution goes next. The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Mark Drakeford was appointed First Minister of Wales in December 2018. He previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Brexit Minister and Health Minister. He has been a Member of the Welsh Assembly, representing Cardiff West, since 2011.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Rt Hon Mark Drakeford AM, First Minister of Wales, to deliver a keynote speech on the future of devolution and the UK after Brexit. The speech was delivered 20 years after the first elections to the National Assembly for Wales. It formed part of a series of events at the Institute reflecting on the first two decades of devolution and considering where devolution goes next. The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Mark Drakeford was appointed First Minister of Wales in December 2018. He previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Brexit Minister and Health Minister. He has been a Member of the Welsh Assembly, representing Cardiff West, since 2011.

Services make up the majority of the UK economy. But the Brexit debate has focused much more on how to ensure continuity of frictionless trade in goods, and far less on the needs of the very diverse and fragmented services sector. At this event, our panel discussed how the Government has taken account of the interests of the services sector in Brexit. They will also consider how to ensure the UK services sector is best placed to benefit from both the UK’s future relationship with the EU and the opportunities that Brexit offers. Panellists included: Adam Minns, Executive Director, Commercial Broadcasters Association Giles Derrington, Associate Director of Policy, techUK Emma Dowden, COO, Burges Salmon LLP Elisa Kerr, Managing Director, State Street. The discussion was chaired by Joe Owen, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions.

To mark the 20th anniversary of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Institute for Government launched a new report on devolution since 1999. The report includes analysis of the devolved governments and of the Scottish Parliament and assemblies for Wales and Northern Ireland, public spending and taxation, the impact on Westminster, and how Brexit has strained relations between the different parts of the UK. On the panel to discuss whether devolution has fulfilled the vision of 20 years ago and where it will go next, were: Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale, First Minister of Scotland, 2001–07 Professor Laura McAllister CBE, Professor of Public Policy at Cardiff University and Chair of the Expert Panel on Assembly Electoral Reform Alan Whysall, Honorary Senior Research Associate at The Constitution Unit, University College London Aron Cheung, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data, on everything from policy to public services, from data sharing to data visualisation, and from infrastructure to ethics. But those projects often don’t get the attention they deserve. At this event, the second in a series of monthly meet-ups, four speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had 8 minutes, followed by 8 minutes of questions from the audience. In May, we heard from: Aleks Bobrowska, DWP Data Science Newcastle Hub, talking about bringing skills demand data to local government via a digital service. Sam Roberts (DCMS) and Sarah Gates (GO Science), talking about the UK government's work on the Data Ethics Framework. Simon Worthington, founder of Register Dynamics and formerly of the Government Digital Service, talking about Personal Data Exchange. Martin Pilkington (Director, RHE Global) and Huw Williams (former Ceredigion Regulatory Services Manager), talking about generating positive social outcomes from citizen reporting: The Noise App. This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency, at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank RHE Global for supporting this event.

The Government spends £284bn on private companies, charities and voluntary organisations which deliver goods, frontline public services and back-office support. The UK pioneered the outsourcing of public services, but recent failures in probation and prisons, alongside profit warnings from suppliers, have renewed debate over outsourcing. At this event, leading politicians, experts and practitioners debated what has and hasn’t worked in government outsourcing, setting out the evidence on where it has reduced costs or delivered innovation; where it did not achieve the expected results; and what its future holds. Our panel included: Sam Gyimah MP, former Minister of State for Universities and Science and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Prisons and Probation Chris Matheson MP, Labour Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office Matthew Fell, UK Policy Director, Confederation of British Industry John Tizard, independent strategic advisor; former Director of Government and Business Engagement at Capita and joint leader of Bedfordshire County Council Katja Hall, Corporate Affairs Director, Capita Alan White, News Editor, BuzzFeed News, and author of Shadow State: Inside the Secret Companies that Run Britain. The debate was moderated by Emma Norris, Director of Research, Institute for Government. This event was kindly supported by international law firm Gowling WLG.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Sir Chris Wormald KCB, Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care and Head of the Civil Service Policy Profession, to deliver a keynote speech. Effective policy making is crucial to the operation of government and the civil service has pursued reforms to strengthen this area in recent years. This speech was an opportunity for Sir Chris to reflect on what the policy profession has achieved, and to set out priorities for high-quality policy making after Brexit. The event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for audience questions. This event forms part of a series sponsored by Oracle – for more information on their work with the public sector click here.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Carolyn Fairbairn, Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) as its keynote speaker at its breakfast event. Carolyn was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government, discussing Brexit and the future of the UK economy. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience. Carolyn joined the CBI as Director-General in November 2015. She spent her early career at McKinsey, before taking on a range of senior leadership roles in the media industry.

Better use of data is key to more effective government. Across government, teams are doing fascinating work with data, on everything from policy to public services, from data sharing to data visualisation, and from infrastructure to ethics. But those projects often don’t get the attention they deserve. At this event, the first in a series of monthly meet-ups, four speakers presented their data projects in an exciting, quickfire format. Each speaker had 8 minutes, followed by 8 minutes of questions from the audience. In April, we heard from: Louisa Nolan, Lead Data Scientist at the ONS Data Science Campus, talking about faster indicators of economic activity Paul Maltby, Chief Digital Officer, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, talking about data in housing and land David Divitt, Vice President, Financial Crime Product Management, Vocalink, a Mastercard company, talking about using data to uncover new, increasingly sophisticated patterns of financial crime Sophie Adams and Jon Downing, Product Owner and Data Scientist, Ofgem, talking about data analytics This event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency, at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Vocalink for supporting this event.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Andy McDonald MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport to deliver a keynote speech setting out the priorities for the Department for Transport under Labour. Andy McDonald analysed the current organisational and strategic challenges facing the Department for Transport. He set out the approach which the Labour Party will bring to the department when in government and the principles which will guide Labour’s transport policy. This event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. Andy McDonald was appointed as Shadow Rail Minister in January 2015 and as Shadow Transport Secretary in July 2016. Previously he was a partner in Thompsons Solicitors for more than two decades.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Michael Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations in the Scottish Government. In the week that the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU, Michael Russell MSP delivered a keynote speech at the Institute for Government on how the Scottish Government has sought to influence the Brexit process, and what Brexit will mean for devolution and Scotland’s place in the UK and wider world. This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. Michael Russell has served as a Scottish Government minister in various portfolios since 2007. Since 2016, he has been the Scottish Government’s lead minister for Brexit and relations with the UK Government. He is Member of the Scottish Parliament for Argyll and Bute, and Professor of Culture and Governance at the University of Glasgow.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Matthew Vickerstaff, Interim Chief Executive of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) and Head of the Government Project Delivery Function, to deliver a keynote speech. The IPA is the government’s centre of expertise for infrastructure and major projects. The IPA supports the delivery of all types of major projects ranging from railways, schools, hospitals and housing, to defence, IT and major transformation programmes. This speech was an opportunity to reflect on the IPA’s work to improve government’s ability to deliver its priorities, and the future of government project delivery after Brexit. This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, IfG Chief Economist. There was an opportunity for audience questions. This event forms part of a series sponsored by Oracle – for more information on their work with the public sector click here.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Sir Amyas Morse, Comptroller and Auditor General of the National Audit Office, to present his unique and independent perspective on the enduring challenges facing government and the public sector. He was in conversation with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government and there was an opportunity for audience Q&A. This year marks the last of a 10-year tenure at the NAO for Sir Amyas Morse. During the last decade as C&AG, Sir Amyas Morse has commented on how government has been spending public money whilst tackling some of the biggest challenges facing our country, from extended austerity measures following the financial crash, to preparations for Brexit. Prior to the NAO, Sir Amyas Morse was an executive partner of Coopers and Lybrand UK and was a global managing partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The Institute for Government was pleased to welcome Sir Ivan Rogers, former UK Permanent Representative to the EU, to discuss how the UK should deal with the EU after Brexit. The UK wants an ambitious future arrangement covering trade, cooperation in foreign and security policy, data exchange and more. But negotiations on the future relationship will be much more complex than those on the withdrawal – and will take place under even greater time pressure. Sir Ivan explored how the UK Government needs to prepare for those negotiations, and how it needs to rethink its long-term relationship with EU member states and institutions. He was in conversation with Jill Rutter, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience. Sir Ivan Rogers was UK Permanent Representative to the EU from 2013-2017. He has previously served as the Prime Minister’s Advisor on European and Global Issues and Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, as well as working in the City.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Jamie Susskind to discuss his new book Future Politics: Living together in a World Transformed by Tech. In his book, he argues that those who control digital technology – mainly technology firms and the state – will increasingly use data to control our lives. He suggests that the government must take advantage of the digital age to strengthen democracy. In conversation with Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency, at the Institute for Government, they discussed what these issues mean for policymakers. Follow @ifgevents #IFGdigital

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome the UK’s Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham CBE, to speak in conversation with Gavin Freeguard, Programme Director and Head of Data and Transparency at the Institute for Government. From Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, to private companies providing public services: data protection and information rights are at the heart of many of today’s biggest stories. Elizabeth Denham explored what the future holds for personal data in the UK, how citizens and consumers can be protected, and discussed her recent report Outsourcing Oversight? The case for reforming access to information law. Elizabeth Denham CBE has been Information Commissioner since July 2016 and in that role upholds both access to information and data protection rights.

Engaging the public on infrastructure decisions helps ensure projects meet the needs of local communities, builds public trust and makes successful delivery more likely. Getting it wrong can result in costly delays to much-needed infrastructure – whether transport, energy or digital projects. But by international standards, the UK is poor at engaging with the public and local communities on major infrastructure projects. Efforts to improve infrastructure decision making have focused on streamlining processes and avoiding public challenge, rather than engaging citizens in constructive dialogue. This event looked at how public engagement can be done differently. Drawing on examples from overseas and innovation in other sectors in the UK, the discussion explored how the Government can improve the way it involves the public in decisions on infrastructure. Our panel included: Philip Graham, Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission Sir Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow and former Deputy Director of Involve Ben Page, Chief Executive of Ipsos Mori. The conversation was chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research at the Institute for Government. This was followed by a Q&A session with the audience. We would like to thank the Association for Project Management for supporting this event.

The Institute for Government (IfG) and Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) hosted a briefing on the issues for government in the upcoming Spring Statement and this year’s Spending Review. After nine years of austerity, the Spending Review could be among the most important non-Brexit decisions made during this parliament. We looked at the squeeze on public spending since 2010, the consequences of sticking with the 2018 Autumn Budget indicative spending plans, and assessed the options open to the Chancellor. Carl Emmerson, Deputy Director of the IFS, and Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the IfG, discussed: How the spending plan set out in the Autumn 2018 Budget affects departmental budgets How any deviation from the spending plan affects government’s fiscal targets What the £20 billion announced for the NHS means for other areas of spending How different departments are coping with spending cuts How fiscal policy might adjust in response to an economically bad Brexit What the Government needs to do in the Spring Statement and Spending Review to produce a set of spending plans that are consistent with its aspirations for public services. This event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director, Institute for Government.

Many of the conventions and procedures of Parliament have been stretched, altered or – some might argue – broken by Brexit. But will any of the new parliamentary precedents set during the Brexit process persist? And should they? To discuss, our panel included: Rt Hon Mark Harper MP, Member for Forest of Dean Nikki da Costa, Cicero Senior Counsel, former Director of Legislative Affairs at No.10 Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit at UCL Dr. Jack Simson Caird, Senior Research Fellow, Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, former House of Commons Library Chaired by Dr Hannah White, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Angela Knight CBE, Chair of the Office of Tax Simplification. She was in conversation with Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government, discussing what has been achieved since the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) was established in 2010, with a mission to reduce tax compliance burdens. With a majority of businesses reporting that tax compliance costs have risen, rather than fallen, we asked what more could be achieved, does the Office of Tax Simplification need more teeth to do that and should a democracy give that sort of power to a quango? Angela Knight is Chair of the Office of Tax Simplification and standing down after three years in the role. She is a former MP for Erewash (1992-1997) and during that time a Treasury Minister.

Brexit will put the UK in control of its agricultural policy for the first time in decades. It presents a once in a generation opportunity to revisit the UK’s approach to farm support, methods of production, and food and environmental standards – including their interplay with international trading objectives. The Government’s Agriculture Bill gives an early indication of the possible direction of travel, but a lot remains unclear. Minette Batters, President of the National Farmers Union (NFU), set out her views on the way forward. To discuss what those might mean, we were joined by: Dame Glenys Stacey, HM Chief Inspector of Probation and Chair of the Farm Inspection and Regulation Review, established by Michael Gove Mike Clarke, Chief Executive of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) The conversation was chaired by Jill Rutter, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, and was followed by an audience Q&A.

The Institute for Government was delighted to welcome Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South and Finsbury and Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. In a keynote speech, Ms Thornberry analysed the current organisational challenges facing the Foreign Office. She set out the alternative style of political leadership that the Labour Party would offer the Foreign Office if in government, and the principles Labour would apply in its approach to foreign policy. The event was chaired by Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government. Emily Thornberry has been the MP for Islington South and Finsbury since 2005. She has served as Shadow Attorney General, Shadow Minister of State for Employment, Shadow Secretary of State for Defence and Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU. She was called to Bar in 1983, serving as a barrister for 25 years.

The Institute for Government hosted the third annual lecture by its Director, Bronwen Maddox. In her speech, Bronwen looked at the challenges of the year ahead for the UK government, where they expose weaknesses and explore how they could be handled well - or not. Bronwen's speech was followed by a response by Sir Amyas Morse KCB, Comptroller and Auditor General of the National Audit Office (NAO). The event was chaired by James Harding, co-founder and Editor of Tortoise, and former Director of News and Current Affairs at the BBC.

Whitehall Monitor 2019 launch by Institute for Government

Parliament is finally about to have its say on Brexit. The way MPs choose to vote on the deal will have major repercussions for how, when and possibly even if the UK leaves the European Union this year. The Institute for Government brought together leading parliamentarians and political figures to ask what the result of the historic vote means for Brexit. Our panel included: Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP Joanna Cherry QC MP Iain Dale, Broadcaster and political commentator Allie Renison, Institute of Directors The conversation was chaired by Jill Rutter, Programme Director at the Institute for Government and there will be opportunity for audience Q&A.

Civil servants in Whitehall change jobs much faster than in other countries or private sector organisations. Several departments lose a quarter of their staff each year, managers change roles every two years and some policy teams turn over almost entirely in just three years. Such rapid turnover contributes to failures on some of government’s biggest priorities. Universal Credit went through five project directors in three years; policy teams are often starting from scratch, leaving ministers complaining that they are the institutional memory; and constant change of personnel in the Treasury undermines its oversight of government spending. But what does this high turnover mean for the citizens who rely on government to make policy and deliver services? What causes this turnover? And what can be done about it? At this event, Tom Sasse, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government launched a new report, Moving on: the costs of high staff turnover in the civil service, based on newly released data. To discuss the findings, our panel included: The Rt Hon. Lord Freud, former Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions Anne Perkins, Journalist and former Deputy Political Editor at The Guardian Lord O’Donnell, Chairman, Frontier Economics and former Cabinet Secretary The event was chaired by Emma Norris, Director of Research, Institute for Government.

The extent of government procurement by Institute for Government

The Haldane Report was a landmark study when it was published in 1918. It set out the principles that it thought should underpin the Government’s use of evidence and formation of policy. To mark the centenary of the report, UK Research and Innovation, the Government Office for Science and the Institute for Government will held a short conference to discuss the report and its significance – and how its lessons can be applied to the challenges of today and those that the UK will face over the next one hundred years. Panel 1: Government and the funding of research Professor Sir Mark Walport, CEO of UK Research and Innovation The Rt Hon. Lord David Willetts, Executive Chair, Resolution Foundation (and former Minister for Universities) Dame Minouche Shafik, Director, London School of Economics This will be chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist, Institute for Government Panel 2: The role of research in making policy Clare Moriarty CB, Permanent Secretary for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Professor David Edgerton, Hans Rausing Professor of the History of Science and Technology and Professor of Modern British History at King’s College London Professor Jennifer Rubin, Executive Chair, Economic and Social Research Council This will be chaired by Tom Sasse, Senior Researcher, Institute for Government Closing words – Dr Patrick Vallance, Government Chief Scientific Adviser

The Institute for Government brought together leading parliamentarians and political figures to ask what happens next for Brexit. We were joined by: Hilary Benn MP, Chair of the Committee on Exiting the European Union Stella Creasy MP Daniel Moylan, Brexit campaigner and former adviser to the Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP Anna Soubry MP, Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on EU Relations The conversation was chaired by Jill Rutter, Programme Director at the Institute for Government and there was an opportunity for an audience Q&A.