The government sees AI as an engine of innovation and productivity, including within government itself. But when faced with constrained public finances and a profusion of ways to use AI, where should government focus to achieve results? Could faster progress be made? This event brought together politicians and civil society representatives to discuss how government can and should make the best use of AI. It also considered how the potential risks might be anticipated and addressed, as well as how the government can maintain public trust as technological change occurs.  Speakers:Kate Bell, Assistant General Secretary of the Trades Union CongressAlwin Magimay, Global Head of AI at PA ConsultingGaia Marcus, Director of the Ada Lovelace InstituteGordon McKee MP, Member of Parliament for Glasgow SouthThis event was chaired by Dr Matthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.This event was in partnership with PA Consulting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Labour government has set ambitious public service objectives. But with poor performance across many services and limited scope to substantially increase funding, improving public sector productivity will be critical. However, public service productivity fell both during and after the pandemic. And many of the drivers of poor productivity, such as underinvestment in capital, have been a problem for decades. This event explored what can the new Labour government do to fix these issues - and whether better services can really be delivered for less. Speakers:Georgia Gould MP, Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)Dan Butler, Head of Government Affairs at Google Cloud UKNick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for GovernmentProfessor Mark Thompson, Professor of Digital Economy at the University of ExeterThis event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.This event was in partnership with Google Cloud UK and the University of Exeter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Labour party has put prevention at the centre of its plans for public services, with the new government’s public spending audit signaling greater ‘investment in prevention’. But while governments of all stripes have called for more focus on prevention, they have often found it hard to deliver. In recent years, funding of public services has increasingly shifted away from preventative interventions towards acute ones. With public spending set to remain tight for the coming years, this event explored what can the Labour government do to tip the balance towards prevention?. Speakers:Andrew Gwynne MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for GovernmentDr Jennifer Dixon DBE, Chief Executive of The Health FoundationPaul Kissack, Group Chief Executive of Joseph Rowntree FoundationThis event was chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.This event was in partnership with The Health Foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Through allocating almost half of national income, often over multiple years, spending reviews are the key vehicle through which a government can set its overarching strategy in motion. However, the approach taken in recent years has been ineffective. It has often failed to provide adequate certainty, incentivise cross-government cooperation, make the most effective use of evidence, and successfully identify opportunities for improving long-term productivity. This event explore how a new Labour government can reinvigorate the process so that it can deliver on an ambitious set of cross-cutting missions?  Speakers:Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Treasury Select CommitteeThomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for GovernmentTom Sasse, Britain Public Policy Editor at The EconomistMoira Wallace, former Permanent SecretaryThis event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.This event was in partnership with the Association for Project Management. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many of the government’s objectives, including improving the performance of public services, will rely on good investment. But current plans imply investment spending plans will be tight. This event explored how the Labour government can ensure it invests well in public services.  Speakers:Rt Hon Darren Jones MP, Chief Secretary to the TreasuryAnita Charlesworth, Director of Research and the REAL Centre (Research and Economic Analysis for the Long term) at the Health FoundationThomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for GovernmentPhillip Woolley, Partner at Grant Thornton UK LLPThis event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.This event was in partnership with Grant Thornton UK LLP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a series of awkward stories over gifts and donations, how can Labour reassert its credentials around upholding public standards - and avoid standards issues distracting from its wider agenda for government?  This event will explore how key reforms such as the creation of the long-promised Ethics and Integrity Commission and establishment of the Modernisation Committee will work and what else needs to be done to restore trust in politics. Speakers:Rt Hon Lucy Powell MP, Leader of the House of CommonsStephen Bush, Associate Editor and Columnist at the Financial TimesTim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for GovernmentDuncan Hames, Director of Policy and Programmes at Transparency International UKDr Susan Hawley, Executive Director of Spotlight on CorruptionThis event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.This event was in partnership with Spotlight on Corruption, Transparency International UK, and the UK Anti-Corruption Coalition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Decarbonising the power system by 2030 and accelerating to net zero is one of Labour's five missions. But achieving this goal means moving faster than the previous government and overcoming barriers like the availability of skilled workers while engaging with distributional questions to ensure a just transition. Building on recent IfG research, this event looked at what the new government has done so far - and what other actions it could take to accelerate delivery while avoiding any unintended consequences for the wider transition to net zero.  Mete Coban MBE, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy at Greater London AuthorityClem Cowton, Director of External Affairs at Octopus EnergyEd Cox, Executive Director for Strategy, Economy & Net Zero at West Midlands Combined AuthorityRosa Hodgkin, Researcher at the Institute for GovernmentProfessor Karl Whittle, Professor of Zero Carbon and Nuclear Energy at the University of LiverpoolThis event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.This event was in partnership with The Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place, University of Liverpool. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What needs to be done to embed Labour's missions-led approach into the way that government works? How should No.10, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury be reformed to help deliver long term policy objectives? What is the role of ministers in mission-led government? And how can mission-led government mean more than a few new committees in Whitehall – and instead, help the centre to address long term chronic problems, make government more open and encourage collaboration? Speakers:Josh Simons MP, Member of Parliament for Makerfield and former Director of Labour TogetherClare Moriarty, former Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive of Citizens AdviceKartina Tahir Thomson, President of the Institute and Faculty of ActuariesAlex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for GovernmentThis event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.This event was in partnership with the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Labour winning the 2024 election on a pledge to widen and deepen devolution across England, this event discussed how and why the government should make a reality of this commitment. The panel considered the role that metro mayors and local government can play in helping Labour to achieve its economic missions, which specific powers should be devolved, and how institutions such as universities can themselves contribute to the government’s industrial strategy. Speakers:Jim McMahon MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)Kim McGuinness, Mayor of the North EastProfessor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at The University of ManchesterJen Williams, Northern England Correspondent at the Financial TimesThis event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.This event was in partnership with Policy@Manchester. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Labour has inherited an economy that has struggled with low growth and weak productivity for most of the past 15 years. The government has proposed a new industrial strategy, sometimes called ‘securonomics’, which it says will help to deliver high-tech industries, boost lagging regions and support UK companies to be global champions in growth sectors. And it plans to establish a new Industrial Strategy Council to ensure the kind of long-term commitment to the agenda that has too often been missing. This event discussed what this council should do to help deliver Labour’s aspirations for economic renewal.   Speakers:Lord Patrick Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Research and InnovationPeter Foster, Public Policy Editor at the Financial TimesProfessor Mary Ryan, Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) at Imperial College LondonGiles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for GovernmentThis event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.This event was in partnership with Imperial College London. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices