Britain’s housing market is unfair. House prices are over eight times average earnings. Social housebuilding rates have sharply declined, and homelessness is high. How can the Liberal Democrats ensure the government delivers the sustainable and affordable housing Britain needs?Speakers:Lee Dillon MP, Member of Parliament for NewburyMax Wilkinson MP, Member of Parliament for CheltenhamAnna Clarke, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at The Housing ForumSophie Metcalfe, Researcher at the Institute for GovernmentTristan Robinson, Director of External Affairs and Social Value at ThakehamThis event was chaired by Nehal Davison, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.This event was in partnership with Thakeham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Civil servants are already using AI for a variety of purposes, from summarising and analysing data to drafting correspondence. The new Labour government sees AI as a route to greater productivity and growth, both within government and beyond. Bringing together the themes of two private roundtables hosted by the Institute for Government in partnership with Scott Logic, this public event explored the use of AI in policy and communications, and for civil service effectiveness.  How are public servants making use of AI in their work?How should government’s own use of AI inform its broader approach to AI’s development and regulation?And how can government distinguish between panic, hype and useful applications of AI and other emerging technologies?To discuss these questions and more, this event brought together an expert panel featuring: Duncan Brown, Head of Software Engineering at the Incubator for AIMatthew Gill, Programme Director at the Institute for GovernmentJess McEvoy, Principal Consultant at Scott LogicJeni Tennison, Founder and Executive Director of Connected by Data The event was chaired by Gavin Freeguard, Associate at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The biggest challenges UK government faces, from tackling low economic growth to addressing regional inequalities, adapting to climate change and transforming public service performance, will need to be addressed by harnessing the insight and expertise of people from outside government itself. So what can be done to bring more external expertise into the heart of government?  This event will explore a core conclusion of the IfG Commission on the Centre of Government – that external voices need to be more embedded in decision making in No.10, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury. The Commission's final report concluded that successive governments had failed to do enough to systemically recruit talented people from outside government and use their skills and insight. We reflected on the Commission’s recommendations and discuss how to improve decision making by amplifying expert voices from outside government. The panel were: Baroness Diana Barran, former Minister for Civil SocietySir Ian Cheshire, Chair of Channel 4 and former government lead non-executive directorNeil Heslop, Chief Executive of the Charities Aid FoundationDame Helen Stephenson, former Chief Executive of the Charity Commission for England and Wales The panel will be chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government. This event is supported by a grant from Charities Aid Foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The government’s approach to procurement is entering a new era. Significant reforms to the UK's post-Brexit procurement legislation, set out in the Procurement Act, will redefine how public sector organisations acquire goods, services, and human resources as new rules and opportunities emerge. So with almost £400bn a year spent on public procurement, how ready are public bodies and suppliers for the Procurement Act’s profound implications? Drawing on IfG's extensive research and analysis on government procurement and outsourcing, this event convened a panel of experts to explore the following key questions: What are the main changes that will be implemented under the new Procurement Act?How prepared are public bodies and suppliers for these changes?What impact will the changes have on procurement practice?What are the key risks and opportunities for public bodies and suppliers?We were joined by an expert panel, including: Lindsay Maguire, Deputy Director for Procurement Reform Implementation at the Cabinet OfficeAndy Milner, Chief Executive Officer of AmeyPeter Schofield, Head of Integrated Commissioning and Procurement at Manchester City CouncilLaura Wisdom, Partner at Burges Salmon The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event is kindly supported by Burges Salmon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Spending reviews, which decide how at least half a trillion pounds of annual public spending should be allocated across different public services, are one of the most consequential processes in government. The new government has announced a new review, to conclude in Spring 2025, that will determine departmental budgets for much of the current parliament. But how should ministers choose how to prioritise for spending? Should more money be spent on roads, skills, or police? What is the best way to judge the costs and benefits of each decision? A new report from the London School of Economics, Value for Money calls for a radical change in policy making. It argues that policies should be judged using a cost-benefit analysis which includes a comprehensive valuation of their effects on wellbeing. The report argues that, judged this way, therapies for mental health and guaranteed apprenticeships give much better value for money than most new roads. To discuss this topic, we were joined by a panel, including: Professor Lord Richard Layard, Co-Director of the Community Wellbeing Programme at the Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics and co-author of Value for MoneyLord Gus O’Donnell, former Cabinet SecretaryAmanda Rowlatt, former Chief Economist at the Department for Transport, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and Department for Work and PensionsConrad Smewing, Director General of Public Spending in His Majesty's Treasury and Joint-Head of the Government Finance Function The panel was chaired by Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Labour government will have been in power for nearly two months by the time parliament returns on 2 September. We have already seen a King’s Speech, a major statement on the public finances, an overhaul of the planning system, big plans for clean power – and more. So what have we learned since Keir Starmer became prime minister – and what comes next for government and British politics? Ministers – and opposition MPs – are braced for busy couple of months ahead. What legislation is coming down the track in parliament? How significant is Rachel Reeves’ upcoming budget? Is there more clarity about mission-led government and how the prime minister wants his No.10 to work? How is the Conservative Party leadership contest progressing? And how significant will the party conference season be for Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak and Ed Davey? To discuss these questions and more, this Institute for Government webinar brought together an expert panel featuring: Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow the Institute for GovernmentAlex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for GovernmentGiles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keir Starmer's Labour government faces a daunting public services overhaul. With many systems worse off since the pandemic, experts discuss how to tackle these challenges on a tight budget. Key sectors like health, education, and local government are in urgent need of reform. Innovative strategies and improved collaboration are crucial for service improvement. The conversation also highlights the need for transparent funding discussions and a balanced approach to higher education challenges. Can radical policies reshape public services for the better?

The chancellor has set out her audit of public spending to MPs. Revealing what she calls a multi-billion pound “black hole” in the government finances, Rachel Reeves has vowed “to fix the mess we inherited” from the Conservative government.So do these sums add up and what do they mean for public services? Should this inheritance come as a surprise to Labour and what does it mean for the party’s manifesto pledges? And what is Rachel Reeves’ plan – which could involve tax rises or spending cuts – for dealing with the problem?To discuss these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including: Olly Bartrum, Senior Economist at the Institute for Government Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government The webinar was chaired by Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The discussion dives into the urgent need for the UK government to rethink its capital spending on vital public services like education, healthcare, and prisons. It highlights misallocation of budgets leading to deteriorating facilities and emphasizes a strategic, multi-year approach to enhance service delivery. Experts advocate for decentralization and innovative funding models, while also stressing the importance of integrating community needs into planning. The conversation also evaluates the complexities of social infrastructure investment and the necessity for long-term financial commitments.

The King’s Speech set out Sir Keir Starmer’s legislative agenda for government and revealed his priorities for the parliamentary session. Following the State Opening of Parliament, the IfG expert team – with guest Chris White, who for half a decade was responsible for managing and planning the last government’s legislative programme – explored what the King’s Speech reveals about Keir Starmer’s plans for government.Presented by Hannah White, with Alex Thomas, Jill Rutter and Chris White. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices