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UK civil service data shows gaping gender pension gap, says auditor
There is 47% gender pay gap in pensions in the UK civil service, according to analysis published by government spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO) today. The report, Public Service Pensions, analysed data from the past two decades across the four largest pay-as-you-go pension schemes (the NHS, civil service, armed forces and teachers) to…
UK abandons redundancy cap following legal challenges
The UK government has repealed new regulations that limited exit payments for departing public sector staff to £95,000 (US$132,000), after its policy was challenged in the courts by unions and staff representative bodies. Last November, the Restriction of Public Sector Exit Payments Regulations 2020 introduced a limit on redundancy and early retirement payments. But late…
Role reversal: Biden rolls back Trump’s civil service directives
US President Joe Biden has used his first days in office to reset relations with federal professionals, reversing a number of executive orders issued by his predecessor Donald Trump that were seen by many as an attempt to politicise and undermine the civil service. In an executive order, released last week under the title “protecting…
Public leaders share their top priorities for civil service reform
From training to remuneration and culture change, senior officials from across the world discuss what’s on their agenda for change over the coming year This year was no ordinary year, with the public health crisis and economic havoc wreaked by COVID-19. So we wanted to understand what reforms senior leaders from governments are focusing on…
Brazil introduces public sector reform bill
The Brazil government has presented a constitutional reform bill to congress that would make it easier to fire civil servants and cut their benefits, and would give the president powers to eliminate public sector jobs and bodies and reorganise departments without congressional approval. Current public sector workers would not see their terms or salaries changed…
Gender pay gap widens at four UK departments, falls at 13
Four central UK government departments have reported that their gender pay gap grew over the last year, while the gap shrank at 13 departments and remained at zero at the Department of Work and Pensions. The figures reveal that the department which saw the biggest increase in its gender pay gap was the Department for…
Former Australian departmental chief calls for an end to performance pay
The former chief of staff to prime minister Paul Keating has said he is “absolutely certain” that performance-related pay doesn’t work in the Australian Public Service (APS). Allan Hawke – who also spent a total of seven years from the mid-1990s as secretary at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Department of Transport and Regional…
DRC election ‘winner’ promises pay hike for officials
The politician who’s claimed victory in last month’s Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) presidential election has promised to fight corruption, tackle poverty, and raise civil service salaries – fulfilling an abandoned promise by the outgoing government. Felix Tshisekedi, the leader of the DRC’s Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDSP) – the country’s oldest opposition…
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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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