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
Regulation ‘too often the default response’ to policy problems, report warns
18 Mar Policy
Regulation ‘too often the default response’ to policy problems, report warns
'Innovation and ideas are everywhere': Interview with former Policy Lab head Vasant Chari
16 Mar Policy
'Innovation and ideas are everywhere': Interview with former Policy Lab head Vasant Chari
PM establishes council to bring civil society 'into heart of decision-making'
12 Mar Policy
PM establishes council to bring civil society 'into heart of decision-making'
Civil service ‘implements policy without piloting it’
22 Feb 2012 Policy
Civil service ‘implements policy without piloting it’

The civil service does not run sufficiently rigorous pilots before it implements policy, a leading policy researcher and former British civil servant has claimed.
Exclusive: Committee chairs criticise departmental report responses
22 Feb 2012 Policy
Exclusive: Committee chairs criticise departmental report responses

Departmental select committee chairs have provided mixed reviews of the departments they scrutinise for a Civil Service World Special Report, which has found that 40 per cent of them are dissatisfied with departments’ responses to their reports.
25 Jan 2012 Policy
Editorial: The arguments for arguing

Officials must fulfil their duty to challenge poor policies
Interview: Robert Devereux
15 Jun 2011 Policy
Interview: Robert Devereux

Like his secretary of state Iain Duncan Smith, DWP permanent secretary Robert Devereux has a quiet manner. This cannot, however, conceal the vast scale and ambition of the organisational change and policy delivery projects that he’s pursuing. Matt Ross meets him.
Special report: An exclusive club: special adviser analysis
08 Apr 2011 Policy
Special report: An exclusive club: special adviser analysis

Which exclusive club contains the PM, the chancellor, the leader of the opposition and the shadow chancellor, the business secretary and, via its affiliated European arm, the deputy prime minister? Some may think of the freemasons, but others will identify a far more shadowy and secretive bunch: special advisers.