This report from UK think tank RUSI explores mechanisms for the return of proceeds of corruption. In the report, Maria outlines how the amount of assets returned by destination countries to countries of origin represents only a minimal fraction of the total amount of proceeds lost to corruption. In early 2022, it was estimated that...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government sets out their view on the Maude proposals for civil service reform. The history of government reform is cluttered with plans, reports, strategies and even a declaration. Lord Maude, a former Cabinet Office minister and the most dedicated reformer of the civil service in recent...

This report from UK think tank IPPR sets out how ‘improvement through empowerment’ - of both teachers and schools, can drive excellence in education. We need to shift the drivers of better schooling from high stakes top-down accountability to a system which empowers schools and teachers to innovate and improve. Policymakers in recent decades have...

This report from UK think tank IPPR looks at unlocking local action on clean air. There is an urgent need to address air pollution. Preventing the premature deaths of up to 43,000 people per year in the UK and reducing cases of cancer, strokes, heart attacks, dementia and asthma would be reason alone. Those who...

This report from UK think tank the National Institute of Economic and Social Research calls for renewed public investment. The latest quarterly forecast from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research calls for renewed public investment, rather than tax-cuts, ahead of the forthcoming Autumn Statement and next year’s General Election. Flatlining productivity and sluggish...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at what has changed in the public appointments process and what still needs to change. In August 2022 the Institute for Government published Reforming Public Appointments, which dissected the public appointments process and offered recommendations for how it could be improved. We looked at...

This report from UK think tank IPPR is a progressive response to the Channel crossings. The surge in arrivals from people crossing the Channel in small boats has become an increasingly charged issue for government. The number of detected arrivals rose sharply from 299 in 2018 to 45,744 in 2022, and there have been more...

This report from UK think tank IPPR suggests that governments could outline a positive vision for how AI can help create public value. The eyes of the world will be on this increasingly powerful technology as the UK holds a global AI safety summit in November. However, early signs indicate the discussions will lack ambition....

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation explores whether a Labour government could realise a better future in the UK for refugee protection with control. Judgment on the legality of the government’s ‘Rwanda plan’ response to the irregular migrant flows across the English Channel is currently awaited from the Supreme Court. In...

This report from UK think tank Reform looks at prioritising efficiency in Whitehall's everyday work. Spending public money wisely must be at the heart of how Whitehall operates. Every pound that is wasted, or used ineffectively, is a pound that could have been used to improve people's lives. Yet despite spending more than ever on...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at how the government can keep workers in the NHS, schools and police. Public services are responsible for keeping the public safe, healthy and well educated. This relies on the work of millions of people across the country. But that workforce is not a...

This report from UK think tank the Fabian Society looks at Fabian ideas for transforming Britain. Think tanks are not political parties. Most of the time we examine policy problems one by one. It is not our role or responsibility to construct comprehensive political programmes. But there are occasions when it is important to take...

This report from UK think tank IPPR looks at the case for a green industrial strategy. The transition to net zero is the economic opportunity of the 21st century. But claims of UK leadership in capturing the economic benefits of the transition to a green economy are wide of the mark. While the UK has...

This report from UK think tank IPPR looks at how we can build a strategic, ambitious and collaborative response to improve our social security system. Our safety net is failing to protect people from being pulled into poverty. Universal credit is simply inadequate to meet day to day living costs. This means despite temporary cost...

This report from UK think tank the Constitution Unit provides new insights into who works for MPs. A good deal is known about the 650 MPs who sit in the House of Commons, and they are frequently the focus of research. Far less is known about the over 3,500 people who work for them across...

Digital government services must be made truly accessible to reduce inequalities By Josh Abel (Fabian Society) The pandemic has brought the digital divide to the forefront of public policy debate. During lockdown, far too many children were unable to learn from home because they could not access the internet and millions of households faced social isolation because they were...