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Ministerial code no longer working and needs overhaul, warns UK think tank
The UK’s ministerial code, which establishes the standards that govern ministers’ behaviour, needs to be “overhauled” and underpinned by statute, according to a leading think tank. Multiple incidents – including revelations following the resignation of health secretary Matt Hancock – have shown that the ministerial code is “no longer working”, according to the report, published…
Ministers should set UK departmental leaders’ goals, says reform commission
The renewal of UK permanent secretaries’ contracts should be based upon their performance against goals set out by ministers, a think tank has advised in a report backed by Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove. The recommendation was included in a report published on Monday by Policy Exchange, a centre-right think tank with links to the…
Ministers must be challenged on misleading statements, says former cabinet secretary
Former cabinet secretary Lord O’Donnell today expressed frustration with ministers who make false statements or skew statistics, a trend he says is eroding public trust in government. Speaking at an online evidence session for the Committee for Standards in Public Life (CSPL) this afternoon, O’Donnell said there should be more emphasis on “calling out” ministers…
UK appointments regulator condemns briefings against civil servants
First civil service commissioner Ian Watmore condemned briefings against civil servants today. “I absolutely, absolutely hate it,” he told an online evidence session for the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) this morning. He added: “I think it shouldn’t happen and the political class as a whole should agree to stop it because at…
Algorithms & accountabilities: an interview with Jonathan Slater, former UK education chief
Last year, the Department for Education’s use of an algorithm to decide exam results generated huge public anger, resulting in the departure of permanent secretary Jonathan Slater. He tells Matt Ross how events unfolded – and highlights the gaps in accountabilities and infrastructure exposed during the pandemic In 2001, Jonathan Slater left his job as…
Use your intelligence: former UK spy chief on good decisions and poor information
These days, the public discourse is awash with fake news; but intelligence operatives have always worked in an environment of uncertainty and incomplete data. At a lecture last week, former UK intelligence chief David Omand explained how techniques developed by the security services can help professionals to make better decisions. Kate Hodge reports Professor Sir…
Former UK chancellor suggests appointing business leaders to civil service jobs
Figures from business could be brought into top civil service management roles, former UK chancellor George Osborne has told an influential UK civil service reform panel. Osborne was speaking at the first evidence session held by the new Commission for Smart Government, which has just published an initial report arguing that the UK machinery of…
UK PM’s chief adviser ‘getting in the way’ of good government, says union chief
The behaviour of UK PM Boris Johnson’s chief adviser is harming departments’ ability to deliver the government’s objectives, FDA general secretary Dave Penman has told Global Government Forum. “What’s been happening isn’t about better government or even more efficient government. This is all about control, and it’s getting in the way,” he said yesterday. In…
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Discover independent research reports, surveys and in-depth studies from Global Government Forum and knowledge partners, exploring the most important issues facing governments and the public sector. Our research provides practical insights and evidence-based recommendations for senior civil servants, policymakers and public sector leaders. Our reports combine exclusive survey data, expert analysis and interviews with government leaders from around the world to help public sector organisations improve performance, inform policy and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
Empowering Public Servants to Make Confident, Informed Decisions with Data and AI
Governments around the world are working hard to extract – and act upon – the insights held in their vast data stores, and to embrace AI and the promise it holds for innovation and transformation. At the same time, economic pressures and constrained budgets are compelling public servants to do more with fewer resources, while governments are called to respond quickly and effectively to complex challenges.
Against this backdrop, data and AI can help those working in government both to streamline their workflows and make fast, informed decisions. This in turn drives efficiency and can unlock productivity gains – and ultimately lead to improved performance and better services for citizens.
Global Government Forum surveyed over 600 civil servants worldwide to understand how data and AI are being used in government decision-making and where there are further challenges and opportunities.
Read this report for insight into how governments are using data and AI in decision-making today and the potential for the future; the major challenges to using data and AI in decision-making and how to overcome them; and how AI agents can be used in decision-making.
The report includes examples of data and AI in decision-making from countries including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the US, and more.
(Published September 2025)
Making Government Work: Five Pillars of a Modern, Effective Civil Service
Around the world, governments are dealing with substantial challenges – from economic stagnation to the transition to net zero, military conflicts and cyber threats. Governments are also grappling with shifting geopolitics and the rise of populism – and all of these factors are set against the emergence of new technologies, including generative AI, which have the potential to fundamentally transform every aspect of society, but which also pose huge ethical, security and regulatory questions for the public sector.
The Making Government Work: Five pillars of a modern, effective civil service report was undertaken to help identify the key characteristics needed in a modern public service, with priorities ranging across leadership, digital service delivery, workforce development, cross-departmental integration, and citizen trust.
This report has been covered by publications around the world including the Financial Times, BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, Ottawa Citizen, Fed Manager, the Mandarin and the i newspaper.
(Published August 2024)
The Future of the Finance Ministry
From setting tax rates and financial regulations that create the ground rules for national economies, to allocating – and tracking – spending for public services, finance ministries occupy an essential role at the centre of government. Geopolitical crises have reinforced the importance of finance ministries, as they tackle both immediate shocks and long-term trends such as ageing populations, the digital transition, and the impact of moves to net zero.
Against this backdrop, this global research explores what the future finance ministry looks like and how to prepare for it.
Based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries – led by John McCarthy, chief economist in Ireland’s Department of Finance, working with Ian Hall, editor, Global Government Finance, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum – the study identifies four key themes: the evolving role of the finance ministry in response to uncertainty; the shift to more flexible finance systems that support outcomes; digital transformation and the growth of AI; and the battle for talent and trust.
(Published May 2026)
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