Closing the gap at the heart of government

Michael Bichard - Letter in The Sunday Times.

Your coverage of our report Shaping Up was right to highlight the "strategic gap" at the heart of government ("Whitehall rebels over ‘brutish' PM", News, last week). However, this gap is not the fault of any one individual or political party in the way that your headline suggested. It is a longstanding challenge that has faced governments for decades. Attempts have been made to improve matters - notably the creation of the National Economic Council and the sharing of public service agreements between departments. But as our report argues, at a time of fiscal consolidation there is a premium on being clear about national priorities and ensuring departments join up both policy and action. That is the challenge of the future.

Sir Michael Bichard
Executive Director, Institute for Government

The original letter can be read in The Sunday Times.