Episodi
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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.
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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.
We would like to thank Honda for kindly supporting this event.
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Episodi mancanti?
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Wes Streeting, the health secretary, joined IfG director Hannah White for fascinating and wide-ranging discussion on his role and priorities, the challenges facing the health service, and how the government plans to turn around performance levels in the NHS.
This joint IfG/New Statesman event was recorded at the Labour party conference in Liverpool.
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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.
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Theresa May’s government set the UK’s net zero target and thhe UK has made significant progress in decarbonising its power supply under successive Conservative governments. However, the last parliament saw concerns raised by Conservative MPs about the potential costs of net zero. and the issue becoming increasingly politicised. In the context of Labour’s ambitious plans for clean power by 2030, how could the new Conservative opposition approach energy policy and net zero and constructively challenge the new Labour government on its plans?
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.
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From David Cameron to Rishi Sunak, prime ministers have been frustrated by policy resource and political energy being spent on reactive decisions rather than dedicated to resolving the chronic problems facing government. So, what can be done differently? This event explored how prime ministers can lead better from the centre and deliver manifesto promises that address issues over the course of the next parliament and beyond.
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.
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After 14 years in power, the Conservative party suffered a historic defeat at the 2024 general election. With the party now in opposition and set to choose its next leader, what lessons should the Conservatives take from their time in government? Did the party fail to deliver on key pledges – and, if so, why? Which parts of government worked well under the last Conservative government – and which did not? Where did the electorate feel let down by the Conservative party and why? Which departments delivered – and how could future Conservative ministers best learn from these experiences?
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.
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A combination of poor public service performance and tight funding for the foreseeable future means boosting productivity – which fell both during and after the pandemic – will remain high on the agenda. The last Conservative government launched a Public Sector Productivity Programme in June 2023 , but what would a future Conservative government do to fix these issues? And how realistic is the hope of delivering better services for less?
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.
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Years of low but volatile capital spending have left public services across the country struggling with crumbling buildings and poor-quality IT and equipment. But public finances are tight, meaning that government will need to get better value from its spending – not just rely on spending more. There is a role for both national and local government in making sure that capital budgets are spent well – so what would a Conservative government do?
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.
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The Conservative government made substantial progress between 2019 and 2024 in devolving power to metro mayors in places including Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. Devolution was a core part of the Johnson and Sunak governments’ levelling up strategy, but was this approach a success? This panel discussed the successes and failures of devolution and consider the Conservative case for further empowerment of local leaders across England.
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.
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While the last Conservative government did not use the term ‘industrial strategy’, it nonetheless effectively operated one. Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt set out five “growth sectors” he wanted to support to drive through the government’s priorities, and funded an Advanced Manufacturing Plan, published a Battery Strategy, and set out plans and resources for aerospace, automotives, offshore wind and more. The government’s post-Brexit reforms to state aid gave UK ministers the ability to set the rules and deploy state subsidy in a more nimble and targeted way, while the Vaccines Taskforce set a precedent for decisive government support of a vital industry, advertising to the world the UK’s excellence in Life Sciences.
But at the same time, Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government was reticent of talking about any kind of industrial strategy, unlike some previous Conservative leaders. This event discussed what the Conservatives should learn from recent experience of industrial policy. Key questions will include:
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.
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Procurement accounts for around a third of all government expenditure – but in recent years it has been hit by a number of negative headlines. Issues with purchasing PPE in the pandemic, and more recently the Post Office scandal, have led to questions about how to hold government and suppliers to account when things go wrong. The soon to be implemented Procurement Act includes measures to improve accountability, but it is unclear how effective these will be. This event explored what the government can do to strengthen accountability.
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.
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The government sees AI as an engine of innovation and productivity, including within government itself. But when faced with constrained public finances and a profusion of ways to use AI, where should government focus to achieve results? Could faster progress be made?
This event brought together politicians and civil society representatives to discuss how government can and should make the best use of AI. It also considered how the potential risks might be anticipated and addressed, as well as how the government can maintain public trust as technological change occurs.
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.
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The Labour government has set ambitious public service objectives. But with poor performance across many services and limited scope to substantially increase funding, improving public sector productivity will be critical. However, public service productivity fell both during and after the pandemic. And many of the drivers of poor productivity, such as underinvestment in capital, have been a problem for decades. This event explored what can the new Labour government do to fix these issues - and whether better services can really be delivered for less.
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.
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The Labour party has put prevention at the centre of its plans for public services, with the new government’s public spending audit signaling greater ‘investment in prevention’. But while governments of all stripes have called for more focus on prevention, they have often found it hard to deliver. In recent years, funding of public services has increasingly shifted away from preventative interventions towards acute ones. With public spending set to remain tight for the coming years, this event explored what can the Labour government do to tip the balance towards prevention?.
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.
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Through allocating almost half of national income, often over multiple years, spending reviews are the key vehicle through which a government can set its overarching strategy in motion. However, the approach taken in recent years has been ineffective. It has often failed to provide adequate certainty, incentivise cross-government cooperation, make the most effective use of evidence, and successfully identify opportunities for improving long-term productivity. This event explore how a new Labour government can reinvigorate the process so that it can deliver on an ambitious set of cross-cutting missions?
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.
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Many of the government’s objectives, including improving the performance of public services, will rely on good investment. But current plans imply investment spending plans will be tight. This event explored how the Labour government can ensure it invests well in public services.
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.
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After a series of awkward stories over gifts and donations, how can Labour reassert its credentials around upholding public standards - and avoid standards issues distracting from its wider agenda for government?
This event will explore 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 was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.
This event was in partnership with Spotlight on Corruption, Transparency International UK, and the UK Anti-Corruption Coalition.
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Decarbonising the power system by 2030 and accelerating to net zero is one of Labour's five missions. But achieving this goal means moving faster than the previous government and overcoming barriers like the availability of skilled workers while engaging with distributional questions to ensure a just transition. Building on recent IfG research, this event looked at what the new government has done so far - and what other actions it could take to accelerate delivery while avoiding any unintended consequences for the wider transition to net zero.
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.
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What needs to be done to embed Labour's missions-led approach into the way that government works? How should No.10, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury be reformed to help deliver long term policy objectives? What is the role of ministers in mission-led government? And how can mission-led government mean more than a few new committees in Whitehall – and instead, help the centre to address long term chronic problems, make government more open and encourage collaboration?
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.
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