Sign up for updates
Publications
From The IFG Blog
More >2 February 2012
David Cameron has, so far, avoided a major reshuffle of his ministers. But he is presiding over unprecedented churn in the civil service ranks.
By: Jill Rutter
Contacts
EmailA more effective Whitehall
The scale of reform facing Whitehall over the coming years is enormous. David Cameron has promised to "turn government on its head" while the civil service is also facing the biggest spending cuts since demobilisation after the Second World War. Supporting Whitehall to be better as well as smaller in the coming years is core to the Institute's work.
Projects in this theme
Transforming the civil service
The civil service needs nothing short of a transformation to ensure that it is better - not simply cheaper in 2015. The Institute is working with politicians and civil servants to help them lead this transformation successfully.
Fiscal consolidation
Few countries have succeeded in undertaking a successful fiscal consolidation on the scale facing the UK. Their experience shows that the way a country goes about planning the consolidation can have a big impact on its chances of success.
Transforming departments
We are evaluating the Ministry of Justice's attempt to transform the department and wider justice system, in order to share lessons on what works.
Fixing the flaws in government IT
Despite spending around £16bn per annum, Whitehall and Westiminister often see IT as a necessary evil: a risk to be managed rather than an opportunity to be exploited.
Whitehall boards
The Coalition government has looked to strengthen departmental boards through a number of structural reforms designed to foster a more business-like culture.
Civil service reform - past lessons
To understand current efforts to improve the effectiveness of government, it is important to consider previous attempts. This is particularly true of the long-running issue of civil service reform, which has several recurring themes.
Accountability for public services
Transparency, choice, competition, payment by results and election of local officials are intended to usher in a new system of 'democratic accountability'. We are looking at what this means for both local and ministerial accountability.
Arm's length bodies
Arm's length bodies - or quangos - are a contested part of the government landscape. We've conducted research on arm's length bodies and with the Public Chairs Forum we are exploring practical ways of improving governance.
