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 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