The Blue Book from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) describes economic activity in the UK. This year, for the first time, it will include spending on prostitution and drugs. Peter Patterson, the Deputy Chief Economic Advisor at the ONS, describes how they calculate the figures in the Blue Book and what they mean for the UK economy.
Spending money on public services requires tough decisions and a robust understanding of the costs and benefits. Cody Xuereb, Economic Adviser at the Department for Communities and Local Government and Rory Moody, Policy Adviser at the Cabinet Office, explain how a suite of new tools can help.
Government departments create reams of data. Linked with other data sources it can provide powerful insights for individuals and communities. Steve Peters from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) discusses how they are developing smarter ways to link information together online.
Governments aren’t often praised for introducing new costs on an everyday item. But the introduction of the single-use carrier bag charge in Wales has won the support of retailers and consumers alike, says Matthew Quinn from the Welsh Government. With …
Is the UK economy at risk of countries or companies restricting the supply of key resources? Ian Mitchell and Serina Ng, economists from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, assess the risks. Last year, a new horizon- scanning …
Pete Thompson is Deputy Chief Executive of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, a government agency that applies science and technology to the defence and security of the UK. How did he get there? I’ve had a varied and interesting …
The Government proposes laws. Civil servants help turn those ideas into reality. Wally Ford from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport talks about one particularly high-profile example. In September 2011 the Government announced plans to make marriages between same …
Wellbeing is the subject of increasing attention from policy makers and Parliamentarians, says Lisa Ollerhead of the Analysis and Insights Team in Cabinet Office. The 2012 Olympics and Paralympics were a great success for our athletes. But what difference did …
The 2050 Calculator project has shown that, although transparency and openness can be challenging, they also have huge benefits. By Laura Aylett, Policy Analyst at the Department for Energy and Climate Change. The policy problem facing the Department of Energy …
The European Union Common Fisheries Policy had failed. Neil Hornby, Head of Sea Fisheries at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, tells how the UK helped turn that failure round. "For years people said the Common Fisheries Policy …
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