The data you need to run a government
Gavin Freeguard
24 September 2018

A new report from the IfG says there are five major gaps in government data. Gavin Freeguard says the most important missing information is departments listing the data they are responsible for.

Public services / Whitehall / Whitehall Monitor > Communication and transparency
The short-term economic impact of a no deal Brexit matters too
Dr Gemma Tetlow
18 September 2018

Many forecasts of the consequences of a no deal Brexit have concentrated on the longer-term ‘big picture’. Gemma Tetlow applauds the IMF for pointing out how disruptive it could be in the short term unless softened by a number of side deals.

Brexit / Brexit > Trade & Immigration
Saving the Union from Brexit will require bold thinking about the constitution
Akash Paun
13 September 2018

Wales’s First Minister Carwyn Jones says Brexit could strain the Union of the UK to breaking point if Westminster does not change its approach to devolution. Akash Paun agrees and calls for bolder thinking about the constitution.

Brexit > Brexit & Devolution
The RHI inquiry must prevent recurrence, not just play the blame game
James Taylor
12 September 2018

The Renewable Heat Incentive inquiry resumed last week after a two-month summer break and is back to grilling senior politicians. James Taylor says the investigators’ recommendations must look beyond the culpability of individuals and propose specific measures to ensure such scandals can’t be repeated.

Policy making / Public services
Cutting MP numbers could make Parliament more pliant
Dr Hannah White
11 September 2018

Boundary Commissions proposals would reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600. Some fear this would decrease challenge to government from its own backbenches by increasing the proportion of MPs subject to government patronage. But, says Hannah White, the debate is stymied: it is hard even to find out the true size of the 'payroll' vote.

Parliament
Is the House of Commons stuck in the 19th century?
Dr Hannah White
04 September 2018

Disagreements about how the House of Commons runs itself - about Private Members’ Bills, divisions, proxy voting and bullying and harassment - featured heavily in media coverage of Parliament before the summer recess. Hannah White warns that MPs seem oblivious of how bad this must look to the electorate.

Parliament
Parliament resumes – and the Brexit action is in the Lords
Maddy Thimont Jack
03 September 2018

As Parliament returns from recess, Maddy Thimont Jack looks at a tense autumn in Parliament and says the high drama will kick off in the House of Lords.

Brexit / Brexit > Parliament / Parliament
The influential Brexit group the Government doesn’t want you to know about
Joe Owen
28 August 2018

An Institute for Government Freedom of Information request has found the key mechanism for driving ‘no deal’ Brexit preparation in Whitehall: the ‘EU Exit Inter-Ministerial Group’. Joe Owen explains how it works, and who is in it.

Brexit / Brexit > Whitehall
Only the beginning of the Government’s ‘no deal’ Brexit preparations
Tim Durrant
23 August 2018

The Government is laying out how the country can prepare for a ‘no deal’ Brexit. But Tim Durrant says this is only the beginning of no deal preparation – big questions remain over citizens’ rights and, of course, the Northern Ireland border.  

Brexit / Brexit > Negotiations / Brexit > Trade & Immigration
A care ISA can’t fix social care
Lucy Campbell
23 August 2018

The Government is reportedly considering an inheritance tax-exempt social care ISA. Lucy Campbell argues that both the policy, and the way it has been developed, show the Government is failing to deal with the challenge of social care funding.

Performance Tracker > Adult social care / Policy making / Public services

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