New Commission report warns Whitehall is “no longer world class”

The Commission for Smart Government today publishes a report diagnosing serious dysfunctionality in Whitehall, warning that the British machinery of government is “no longer world class”.

The discussion paper, entitled “What’s gone wrong with Whitehall?”, argues that weaknesses in the system and structures of government undermine strategic coherence and leave it unable to deliver effective change.

It calls for a fundamental overhaul of Whitehall to drive recovery and renewal in the wake of the Covid epidemic.

The report will be discussed in the Commission’s first public evidence session, with George Osborne, tomorrow (Wednesday 4 November at 10am).

In a Select Committee-style virtual hearing, the former Chancellor will take questions from the Commissioners, addressing the key findings of the report.

The report argues that the centre of government is underpowered, with inadequate support for the office of Prime Minister, and with confused roles and accountability. 

It says that the civil service lacks the critical ‘hard’ skills to tackle the challenges of managing complex systems and the capabilities and incentives to design and execute policy effectively.  The government’s use of technology was once world-leading, but the programme of digital transformation has now stalled.

The report points to running policy sores such as social care which have remained unfixed through successive administrations, and a death rate from coronavirus ten times that of Germany and twenty times that of East Asian countries.

The report argues that Whitehall needs radical reform in order to meet present and future strategic challenges – climate, social and economic inequality, and economic success post-Brexit.   

The Commission, which is independent and non-partisan, brings together business leaders and former senior public officials, including tech entrepreneurs and experts, former permanent secretaries, and retired senior military and police leaders.