This report explores opportunities for better evidence exchange and policy learning between the UK and devolved governments.
This report explores opportunities for better evidence exchange and policy learning between UK and devolved governments.
Key findings
- Further devolution of powers to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will not only radically reshape the British state, but will offer all four governments a unique chance to work together for meaningful reform.
Devolution provides an enormous opportunity not only to develop innovative and creative approaches to social policy, but also to share learning about if, why, and how different approaches work. The UK can be seen as a ‘living laboratory’ for social policy.
But how much learning and sharing takes place in reality? Do we have the necessary institutions and culture to facilitate the development of a shared evidence base? What are the barriers to, and enablers of, learning between governments?
To shed light on these issues, the Alliance for Useful Evidence and the Institute for Government, in partnership with Carnegie UK Trust, have come together to produce this short paper. Its conclusions are based in large part on a private seminar hosted by the two organisations in October 2015, at which all four UK governments were represented alongside academics and third sector representatives. We also draw upon previous work carried out separately by the two organisations, including on devolution and intergovernmental relations, the policymaking process, and the use of evidence in government.
Finding better ways of answering these questions on sharing should help ensure all parts of the UK don’t miss out on social innovations that could result in more effective, and costeffective, approaches to tackling shared challenges.
Policy Recommendations
- The four governments should work to increase interchange of staff between them.
- More consistent measurements of policy performance should be developed across the UK.
- There should be greater willingness to share data and evidence - including negative results.
- Devolved governments should be more involved in developing UK strategic research priorities.
- The creation of a new What Works Centre for Northern Ireland.
- More networks of officials from the four governments should be working on similar issues.
- Good practice should be publicly recognised by the civil service leadership.
Authors
Akash Paun, Jill Rutter and Anna Nicholl
