Archives: Reports

Legislation to support data sharing

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at legislation around data sharing and unintended consequences.  The response to the coronavirus pandemic brought data to the heart of government decision making like never before – but what lessons does government need to learn about data sharing from the experience? This paper summarises...

Read more

A crossroads for diversity and inclusion in the civil service

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at how the Cabinet Office can give government departments guidance and support on D&I plans. In February 2022 the Cabinet Office published a new diversity and inclusion strategy for the civil service. Drawing on private roundtables and interviews with key figures from public sector...

Read more

Opening up

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at how to strengthen the civil service through external recruitment. The civil service’s ability to deliver ministers’ priorities is being hurt by its failure to attract, retain and properly use the skills of external recruits. This report calls on ministers and civil servants to...

Read more

Broken Britain

This report from UK think tank the Adam Smith Institute looks at 16 problems facing the country. The Adam Smith Institute’s latest discussion paper, written by Dr. Madsen Pirie, details the key problems facing Britain today.

Read more

What does the autumn statement mean for public services?

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at predictions public services will be performing worse in 2025 than on the eve of the pandemic. Jeremy Hunt’s spending settlement is likely to leave most public services performing worse in 2025 than on the eve of the pandemic – when performance levels were...

Read more

Cutting the civil service

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at how best to slim down and save money in the civil service. This paper sets out the six steps government can take which would cut the civil service and save money, while not damaging skills and capability. It welcomes Rishi Sunak’s decision to...

Read more

‘Austerity’ in public services

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at the lessons on austerity in public services from the 2010s. The estimated £40bn of departmental savings that Jeremy Hunt needs to find would be much more damaging to public services and harder to deliver than the coalition government’s 2010 austerity programme. Hunt should...

Read more

Food for thought

This report from UK think tank the Adam Smith Institute looks at a number of reforms to improve the efficiency and value for money of DEFRA. The Adam Smith Institute’s latest discussion paper, written by Tim Ambler, proposes a number of reforms to improve the efficiency and value for money of the Department for Environment,...

Read more

Trimming the fat

This report from UK think tank the Adam Smith Institute looks at a number of reforms to improve the efficiency and value for money of the DHSC. The Adam Smith Institute’s latest discussion paper, written by Tim Ambler, proposes a number of reforms to improve the efficiency and value for money of the Department of...

Read more

Accountability after Brexit

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at Parliament and the UK–EU relationship. Liz Truss should reset parliament’s lacklustre arrangements for post-Brexit scrutiny – and if she won’t then senior parliamentarians should pressurise government into making vital changes. This report finds that parliamentary scrutiny of Brexit has been relegated to a...

Read more