Event
12 June, 2023
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Efficiency mindset

To help achieve sound public finances – which are intergenerationally fair and keep borrowing costs in check – successive UK governments have sought to maximise the efficiency with which they spend public money. However, the history of this policy agenda is long and wrought with mixed results.

While there are well-established institutions to monitor public spending, comparatively fewer structures exist to promote a culture of continuous improvement, in which savings are found outside of spending reviews and budgets, and civil servants and teams within departments are upskilled with the capabilities needed to identify opportunities to do more for less. To achieve genuine transformation, it is important this is not pigeonholed as the responsibility of any single government function – instead becoming a priority in the everyday work of Whitehall.

Reform is delighted to host Lord Andrew Tyrie, former Chair of the Treasury Select Committee (2010 – 2017) for a research roundtable to generate and discuss ideas for a forthcoming Reform publication on how Whitehall can ensure value for money in public spending.

This private roundtable will be held under the Chatham House rule.