The real test of the industrial strategy? Whole-of-government delivery
02 Jul Economics

The real test of the industrial strategy? Whole-of-government delivery

Delivering the industrial strategy will require not just excellent civil service machinery but deliberate, sustained use of political capital to prioritise and unblock
by Tera Allas
SR25: HMRC gets £1.7bn for big increase in compliance and debt management staff
12 Jun Economics
SR25: HMRC gets £1.7bn for big increase in compliance and debt management staff
‘Radically’ shorter Green Book will support place-based budgeting and transformational change
11 Jun Economics
‘Radically’ shorter Green Book will support place-based budgeting and transformational change
Treasury appoints new second perm sec to support economic growth mission
15 May Economics
Treasury appoints new second perm sec to support economic growth mission
Reeves: 10,000 civil service jobs to go in admin cost-cutting drive
24 Mar Economics
Reeves: 10,000 civil service jobs to go in admin cost-cutting drive
Civil service unions call for honesty about impact of cuts on public services
New fiscal framework becomes law as MPs back Charter for Budget Responsibility
30 Jan Economics
New fiscal framework becomes law as MPs back Charter for Budget Responsibility
MPs approve charter designed to create a "stable and predictable fiscal policy environment"
Reeves: Green book refresh will ‘deliver fair hearing' for all regions
29 Jan Economics
Reeves: Green book refresh will ‘deliver fair hearing' for all regions
Green Book update to report back in June Spending review
Civil service 'incompetence' to blame for rising debt, ex-minister says
27 Jan Economics
Civil service 'incompetence' to blame for rising debt, ex-minister says
Lord Agnew says failures of the state are "blocking economic growth" and "eroding our status as a first-world economy"
Treasury recruiting for new second perm sec
18 Dec 2024 Economics
Treasury recruiting for new second perm sec
Treasury is looking for candidates with "deep financial, business, commercial and analytical experience"
Barton: FCDO needs new funding model
19 Nov 2024 Economics
Barton: FCDO needs new funding model
Department will require hundreds of millions of pounds more after 2026-27, perm sec says
'The Treasury acted within the law’: Bowler defends officials over Spring Budget preparations
07 Nov 2024 Economics
'The Treasury acted within the law’: Bowler defends officials over Spring Budget preparations
Perm sec says previous budget framework put more onus on OBR to ask questions than HMT to provide information on its own initiative
Budget: Departments' day-to-day spending to rise 1.5% in real terms
30 Oct 2024 Economics
Budget: Departments' day-to-day spending to rise 1.5% in real terms
Total departmental spending will rise by an average of 1.5% a year over the next five years, chancellor announces, with higher rises in the next two years
Evidencing the value of health is the key to uniting health and growth
15 Oct 2024 Economics
Evidencing the value of health is the key to uniting health and growth
To realise the opportunities in the overlap of the government’s economic and health missions, we need to mobilise evidence on how economic decisions impact public health
Budget: No.10 says it will stick with fiscal rules
08 Oct 2024 Economics
Budget: No.10 says it will stick with fiscal rules
Confirmation of commitment to rules comes as IPPR report suggests reforming them could unlock £57bn of spending
Chancellor pledges real-terms increase to government spending
23 Sep 2024 Economics
Chancellor pledges real-terms increase to government spending
But Reeves does not rule out cuts to individual departments' budgets over the course of this parliament
Cutting public spending would 'damage foundations of the economy', Reeves warned
16 Sep 2024 Economics
Cutting public spending would 'damage foundations of the economy', Reeves warned
Former cabinet secretary Lord O'Donnell among economists who have urged the chancellor to update fiscal rules instead
Book review: Torsten Bell's well-evidenced argument might appeal to think tank economists, but will it convince ministers?
05 Sep 2024 Economics
Book review: Torsten Bell's well-evidenced argument might appeal to think tank economists, but will it convince ministers?
The policy proposals in Torsten Bell’s clear and well-evidenced book might appeal to think tank economists, says Thomas Pope, but only time will tell if political strategy will convince his new colleagues and bosses in the Labour government
Reeves tells departments to find billions of pounds in savings ahead of Budget
29 Aug 2024 Economics
Reeves tells departments to find billions of pounds in savings ahead of Budget
Health and Education departments among those asked to make big savings ahead of October budget, according to reports
Reeves to announce efficiencies drive and consultancy spend squeeze in major speech
29 Jul 2024 Economics
Reeves to announce efficiencies drive and consultancy spend squeeze in major speech
Chancellor will set out reforms to "put an end to wasteful spending in government" and address £20bn black hole
Book review: Neil Lee’s Innovation for the Masses is an ideal book for policymakers
22 Jul 2024 Economics
Book review: Neil Lee’s Innovation for the Masses is an ideal book for policymakers
Can we drive innovation and also build greater equality? This solution-focused guide suggests so
National Wealth Fund to bring together existing bodies
09 Jul 2024 Economics
National Wealth Fund to bring together existing bodies
UK Infrastructure Bank and the British Business Bank to be 'aligned' under investment plan
IFS: Civil service pay has been ‘held down unbelievably’
25 Jun 2024 Economics
IFS: Civil service pay has been ‘held down unbelievably’
Paul Johnson says pay for officials is just one example of why public service cuts will be so difficult to achieve for next government
IFS: Conservative manifesto 'silent' on departmental spending cuts
12 Jun 2024 Economics
IFS: Conservative manifesto 'silent' on departmental spending cuts
Think tank warns the party's plans signal "an even tougher time" for departments
Treasury perm sec warned ministers over Tory tax claim
05 Jun 2024 Economics
Treasury perm sec warned ministers over Tory tax claim
James Bowler said ministers should not say a Conservative costing was produced by civil servants
Public sector productivity drive 'unlikely to ease spending pressures', IFS warns
04 Jun 2024 Economics
Public sector productivity drive 'unlikely to ease spending pressures', IFS warns
Institute for Fiscal Studies predicts reduced waiting lists and courts backlogs will come before budget savings
Scottish Government announces 9.3% three-year pay framework
31 May 2024 Economics
Scottish Government announces 9.3% three-year pay framework
Finance minister says the public sector pay policy provides an above-inflation increase
Departments face 'uncharted territory' because of spending review uncertainty
03 May 2024 Economics
Departments face 'uncharted territory' because of spending review uncertainty
Civil servants must be resourced to begin full planning now, Institute for Government warns
MPs accuse DWP of 'cherry-picking' evidence on Universal Credit impact
29 Apr 2024 Economics
MPs accuse DWP of 'cherry-picking' evidence on Universal Credit impact
Report says department has based its assessment of the impact UC to the labour market on "the most positive scenario"