Curiosity, problem-solving and misconceptions: Policy profession co-heads Susan Acland-Hood and Gareth Davies set out their vision
12 Jan Policy

Curiosity, problem-solving and misconceptions: Policy profession co-heads Susan Acland-Hood and Gareth Davies set out their vision

Susan Acland-Hood and Gareth Davies have been hard at work since being named co-heads of the policy profession last summer. They talk about their plans to develop the profession, embracing generalism, and why it’s important to ask the right questions
by Beckie Smith
Treasury launches new crackdown on ‘public service inefficiencies and waste’
20 Jan Policy
Treasury launches new crackdown on ‘public service inefficiencies and waste’
HMRC reinstates 17,000 frozen child benefit cases after checks error
20 Jan Policy
HMRC reinstates 17,000 frozen child benefit cases after checks error
Military chief sounds alarm over £28bn MoD ‘black hole’
09 Jan Policy
Military chief sounds alarm over £28bn MoD ‘black hole’
Civil service reform: How do the manifestos stack up?
19 Jun 2024 Policy
Civil service reform: How do the manifestos stack up?
While the proposals were not front and centre, both the Labour and Conservative manifestos addressed the "how" of government
Progress on levelling up 'glacial', think tank says
19 Jun 2024 Policy
Progress on levelling up 'glacial', think tank says
Next government must be "decisive" if it wants to meet aims of levelling up white paper by 2030, IFS warns
Farage floats plans to slash £50bn from departments and cut taxes
18 Jun 2024 Policy
Farage floats plans to slash £50bn from departments and cut taxes
IFS says Reform proposals – which also include eradicating NHS waiting lists – "don't add up"
How to read a general election manifesto
18 Jun 2024 Policy
How to read a general election manifesto
A former civil servant who helped write a party manifesto explains how civil servants should analyse the all-important publications
Think tank makes argument for delivery units across government
18 Jun 2024 Policy
Think tank makes argument for delivery units across government
Reform paper makes series of recommendations to tackle barriers to effective delivery
Conservatives double down on disputed tax-rise claims
11 Jun 2024 Policy
Conservatives double down on disputed tax-rise claims
Party chairman flaunts letter from cabinet secretary as union seeks end to "opposition costings"
I worked for Blair's Delivery Unit – trust me that the next government needs a new approach to reform
06 Jun 2024 Policy
I worked for Blair's Delivery Unit – trust me that the next government needs a new approach to reform
Top-down targets simply don’t release the creativity and compassion in our public servants that all of us are going to depend on, writes a former perm sec
High Court hears civil service union's Rwanda scheme concerns
06 Jun 2024 Policy
High Court hears civil service union's Rwanda scheme concerns
Judicial review set to determine whether officials will be breaking the civil service code if they ignore ECHR requests to stop deportation flights
Preventative policy is a good idea, but politically tricky. What's needed to make it work?
05 Jun 2024 Policy
Preventative policy is a good idea, but politically tricky. What's needed to make it work?
Prevention is an attractive and perennial theme in public policy, but good intentions rarely translate into successful action. In the run-up to the election, a new consensus around prevention is emerging. Could it be different this time?
Public sector productivity drive 'unlikely to ease spending pressures', IFS warns
04 Jun 2024 Policy
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
Home Office under fire for lack of transparency on Rwanda plans
30 May 2024 Policy
Home Office under fire for lack of transparency on Rwanda plans
MPs have "little confidence" in department's ability to implement controversial asylum partnership "given its track record"
MPs urge reform to boost cross-departmental data sharing
28 May 2024 Policy
MPs urge reform to boost cross-departmental data sharing
Treasury urged to incentivise progress as current Cabinet Office initiatives are dubbed "self-evidently insufficient"