Some welcome urgency from government on getting water infrastructure built as quickly as possible - which is crucial in the context of an increasing demand shortfall, as I explored in a blog for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk last month www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/inde...

The Independent Water Commission has a chance to create meaningful change | Institute for Government

Labour set out clear ambitions for infrastructure before the election including on housing and energy. But plans for the water sector were less clear.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

The Guardian@theguardian.com · last yr.

First new reservoirs in England for more than 30 years given go-ahead

Thames Water has been fined its biggest penalty so far by the water industry regulator Ofwat But what is Ofwat and how does it function? Read our full explainer: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/of...

Ofwat | Institute for Government

Ofwat is the economic regulator for the water and sewage sectors in England and Wales. But how does it work?

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Monday's announcement puts government at risk of cutting quango numbers for its own sake. But efficiency, accountability, and freeing up ministers to focus on the big picture are what really matter, and there are better ways to achieve these things. My latest for @instituteforgov.bsky.social:

Institute for Government@instituteforgovernment.org.uk · last yr.

Pat McFadden has written to departments, asking them to justify the existence of their public bodies. But cutting the number of public bodies is the wrong objective for the government to set itself, says @drmatthewgill.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/pat-...

The passage of Labour's Tobacco and Vapes bill has been plain sailing so far. But history shows the success of anti-smoking policy hinges on cross-party (& public) buy-in, which the govt must not take for granted - certainly not now. My latest for @instituteforgov.bsky.social 👇

Smokefree generation: How to turn manifesto promises into tangible results | Institute for Government

What the government can learn from past anti-smoking legislation for its 'smokefree generation' commitment.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

In a big day for government reviews at the IfG - a new blog from me about Sir Jon Cunliffe's Independent Water Commission. I explore why was it set up, what it is doing, and what this all has to do with 'terrible Tuesday'... www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/inde...

The Independent Water Commission has a chance to create meaningful change | Institute for Government

Labour set out clear ambitions for infrastructure before the election, including on housing and energy. But plans for the water sector were less clear

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

NEW REPORT from @jillongovt.bsky.social and I on how government should set up and run independent policy reviews to help deliver reforms. We looked back at previous reviews, and spoke to former reviewers to get their reflections and advice (1/12) www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Lessons from past independent policy reviews | Institute for Government

How, when and why are policy reviews used by politicians?

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Interested in making government more effective? Applications for our 2025–26 research internship programme, starting in September 2025, are now open. Closing date: Tuesday 29 April, 11:00 ⏰ Find out more: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/about-us/car...

Planning reform given big emphasis in Rachel Reeves' statement today, including key measures from last week's Planning and Infrastructure Bill. For a breakdown of 5 major changes, check out this recent blog from @sophiemetcalfe.bsky.social and me www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/five...

Five key changes set out in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill | Institute for Government

What is the potential impact of the government's planning bill?

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Some more detailed thoughts on the regulatory action plan published last week...

Institute for Government@instituteforgovernment.org.uk · last yr.

What is in the government’s plan to make regulation pro-growth? The government has set out ambitious plans to streamline regulation. @drmatthewgill.bsky.social says there is much to applaud, but a sophisticated debate on regulation remains elusive www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gove...

1/ Today’s policy paper from HMT on regulation and growth is welcome: www.gov.uk/government/n.... In the main, it grips the need to prioritise growth in an energetic but proportionate way. Nonetheless, implementation of some proposals will be difficult and there are some pitfalls to avoid.

Radical action plan to cut red tape and kickstart growth

The Chancellor will meet top regulator bosses in Downing Street today (Monday 17 March) as she unveils an action plan to deliver on the pledge to cut the administrative cost of regulation on business ...

gov.uk

📣New report from me & @brionya.bsky.social MCAs’ decision-making is often limited by unanimous voting rules Effective decision making for key strategic plans requires a shift to simple majority voting alongside greater capacity and accountability www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

How the government can support better decision making in mayoral combined authorities | Institute for Government

Making England’s ‘devolution revolution’ a reality.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

In light of today's announcement - this chart gives some context on how NHS England accounts for almost half of government's total spending on ALBs, and how increases to its budget have been the main driver for the overall increase in funding for ALBs in recent years.

Reports by @drmatthewgill.bsky.social - our @instituteforgov.bsky.social expert on all things public bodies - are must reads right now… 👇

Institute for Government@instituteforgovernment.org.uk · last yr.

Keir Starmer has announced that the government will be abolishing NHS England. Read our report by @drmatthewgill.bsky.social on how to successfully abolish a public body and the lessons from previous restructures www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Can AI transform civil service productivity? How would you cut the administrative costs of regulation by 25%? And what would that mean for arachnids in Ebbsfleet? Join us to discuss these - and other themes from Keir Starmer's speech - at lunchtime today!

Institute for Government@instituteforgovernment.org.uk · last yr.

TODAY: What is Keir Starmer’s new plan for government reform? Join us at 13:00 for our expert analysis of the PM’s plans to overhaul the state. @drmatthewgill.bsky.social @hannahkeenan.bsky.social @jillongovt.bsky.social @cathhaddon.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/keir-s...

While we all speculate about what exactly the PM will say tomorrow and what the balance between ministers, depts and public bodies should be over policy decisions, I thought I'd have a look through the @instituteforgov.bsky.social's interviews with former ministers to see what they have to say...

The National Wealth Fund is a key part of the govt's plans to address chronic underinvestment in the UK and stimulate growth. But what is it, and how does it work? An explainer: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/na...

What is the National Wealth Fund? | Institute for Government

The chancellor's new Fund replaces the UK Infrastructure Bank.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Following a great IfG event yesterday on the government's clean power targets, a new explainer by me on the role of the National Energy System Operator (NESO)⚡ www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/na...

National Energy System Operator (NESO) | Institute for Government

NESO is the public body responsible for Great Britain’s energy system.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

The Commissioner for Public Appointment's report for 2023-24 has now been published. It's a shame to see that delays to appointment processes got even worse, with only 13% concluding within the recommended timeframe of 3 months. publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/u...

More Whitehall Monitor findings! For the first time since 2022 we put together a chapter on arm's-length bodies for WM2025 (published yesterday) - thanks to the Cabinet Office's publication of the 2023 public bodies dataset at the end of last year.

Some key takeaways from our chapter on AI, digital and data in Whitehall Monitor 2025 [🧵]:

The latest edition of our annual Whitehall Monitor report is out today. How has the civil service changed in the last year? And how does it still need to change to deliver on the government’s missions? Quick 🧵 on some of our findings on churn and diversity 1/8

The long, albeit slow, increase in workforce and budgets of Arms Length Bodies underpins a democratic deficit. If Ministers will ultimately be held accountable, they should take more responsibility for managing core functions of government directly.

On staffing more widely, we have data on arm’s-length body staff numbers for the first time in several years This chart from @shivanichivukula.bsky.social shows what the drivers behind increasing ALB staff numbers are

It was great to contribute to the final two chapters of the report: one on the ALB landscape, and one on AI, digital and data in the civil service. The latter in particular was a very new area of research for this ex-classicist and I had fun writing it with my colleague @jordanurban.bsky.social

Institute for Government@instituteforgovernment.org.uk · 2y ago

[NEW] Whitehall Monitor 2025, our annual data-driven stocktake of the civil service, is out today. It examines the civil service that Starmer’s government inherited – and how Labour’s mission-led approach fits in with Whitehall’s ways of working www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Government 2025: IfG's annual conference 📅 Tuesday 21 January To kick off the new year, we will bring together influential speakers and experts to explore the key questions for government in 2025. Register to attend online www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/govern...

Yesterday the Cabinet Office public bodies team published their 2022/23 ALB report. It's a really interesting and well-visualised piece of work. Check it out here: co-public-bodies.github.io/ALB_Landscap...

New report from @drmatthewgill.bsky.social on how to set up public bodies well www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Labour’s new public bodies are likely to come at a high cost, thinktank finds

At least 17 state agencies to be created or overhauled, a challenge the IfG says will require major investment

theguardian.com