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Seminars: Archive Seminars have covered a variety of topics including Civil Service reform, economic challenges facing the UK, family formation, restorative justice, Britishness and national identity, and the concept of joined–up government. We have also enjoyed sessions with individual speakers such as Sir Iain Blair (Metropolitan Police Commissioner), Ed Mayo (Chief Executive of the National Consumer Council), Tim Harford (Financial Times), and Sir Gus O'Donnell (Cabinet Secretary).
Below is an alphabetical list of previous Strategy Unit seminars. Follow the links for papers/presentations from each of the seminars.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Addictive Behaviour discussed the major forces driving current trends in addictive behaviour and how should government policy address them.
Biosciences: Challenges and opportunities for government discussed what developments we anticipate over the next decade and beyond; how such developments might impact on society; and how government should respond to the challenges and opportunities that they present.
Britishness discussed the importance of a clear sense of national identity.
(Public service) broadcasting in the on–demand age Richard Halton, the BBC Controller of Business Strategy discussed the challenges facing the BBC and shared his thoughts on what makes for successful strategy development in the public service arena.
Central Governments Structures considered future roles, structures and management systems for central governments.
(Ending) child poverty Lisa Harker, independent policy advisor and former chair of the childcare charity Daycare Trust, discussed child poverty. She outlined the progress made in reducing child poverty and potential future measures.
Choice focused on the development of choice-based policies in England.
Civil Service reform Guy Lodge and Ben Rogers of the think tank IPPR discussed their pamphlet 'Whitehall's 'Black Box: Accountability and Performance in the Senior Civil Service'.
Commissioning of Public Services Dirk Haubrich of the Strategy Unit led a workshop on lessons learned about effective commissioning from past Strategy Unit projects.
(Key issues in) Consumer Policy Ed Mayo - Chief Executive of the National Consumer Council - discussed the emerging issues in consumer policy.
Correctional Services discussed issues facing correctional services over the coming years.
Crown Prosecution Service and Criminal Justice Ken Macdonald, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service and Director of Public Prosecutions came to speak to the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit and extended guests.
(Achieving) Culture Change: A Policy Framework [PDF 75KB, 7 pages] – Stephen Muers and David Knott of the Strategy Unit presented their draft discussion paper on how government policy can be used to encourage particular courses of action and behaviour in cases where powerful cultural factors are at work. Stephen Meek, Director of Strategy at DCSF, and Clive Bates, Head of Policy at the Environment Agency, acted as discussants. See the draft discussion paper on Achieving Culture Change: A Policy Framework on which we would welcome comments.
(Delivering) public value How to give the people what they really want. Diane Coyle, Managing Director of Enlightenment Economics, discussed work she is leading for the BBC Trust on defining and enhancing public value.
Economic policy challenges Martin Wolf CBE, prize winning journalist, Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator at the Financial Times shared his thoughts on what he feels are the five key economic policy issues facing the UK today.
(A new) Economics for the Real World Eric Beinhocker, Senior Fellow of the McKinsey Global Institute, set out a new perspective on how economies work in the real world and its implications for public policy.
Electronic Networks: The Challenges for the Next Decade focused on the long-term trends in the development of Electronic Networks, how these trends might alter and the lessons that could be learnt from other countries and industries.
Energy Policy: Efficiency, Environment and Security examined the issues that impact on the ways in which we use energy, how this might change in the future and discussed what Government might need to consider to ensure that it can respond to these challenges.
Family formation and policy Professor John Ermisch from the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex examined the major changes in the timing and characteristics of family formation and dissolution over recent generations; variation in these changes between different social groups; and the potential implications for policy.
Family Nurse Partnerships Kate Billingham, Project Director of Health-led Parenting and First Years of Life, DH, gave an overview of the Family Nurse Partnerships programme. She discussed the benefits of the programme, progress and implementation lessons so far, the local and national success factors, and key lessons for central government.
Future shocks and opportunities Dr Ian Goldin (Director), Professor Angela McLean (Director, Institute for Emergent Infections of Humans) and Prof Julian Savulescu (Director, the Programme on Ethhics of the New Biosciences) from the James Martin 21st Century School, University of Oxford, reviewed some of the major challenges and opportunities facing the 21st century, set out the role of the 21st Century School and discussed work on emergent infections and the ethics of the new biosciences.
Geographic Mobility examined the nature and extent of geographic mobility in Britain.
Global challenges of the 21st century The Government's Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir David King, discussed some of the major challenges facing the world in the 21st century – focussing on the sustainable use of natural resources, reversing environmental degradation, defeating infectious diseases and tackling climate change.
High Performing Cities discussed the ability of our big cities to perform and compete as sources of economic growth, analyse the latest evidence on trends likely to impact on the performance of cities and examine the evidence that investment and systems of governance affect the performance of cities.
Housing and land use planning : Kate Barker, CBE, set out the housing and the land use challenges facing the UK, focusing on the affordability of housing and the functioning of housing, housebuilding and land markets. Kate is a member of the Board of the Housing Corporation and of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee. She was commissioned by the Government to conduct an independent review of UK Housing Supply (published March 2004) and, later, a review of Land Use Planning (published in July 2006).
Innovation in Local Government Doug Sutherland and Ian Jones of Leeds City Council ICT group talked about their frontline experiences of innovation in local government, particularly in relation to the digital pen.
Leadership and the future challenges facing business and government René Carayol MBE shared his thoughts on the future challenges facing business and the implications for government.
Life Satisfaction explored the growing literature on life satisfaction: what makes people happy?
Mental Health discussed a paper by Lord Layard entitled 'Mental Health: Britains Biggest Health Problem'.
NHS Reform: Andrew Haldenby, Professor Nick Bosanquet and Henry de Zoete from the independent think-tank, Reform, set out their assessment of progress and current challenges in health service reform.
Public Service Reform Sir Michael Barber, partner in McKinsey's Global Public Sector Practice and former head of the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit, discussed the differing paradigms of public service reform.
(Creating) Public Value discussed the emerging concept of public value, which is a new way of thinking about the objectives and performance of government.
Restorative Justice an introduction to the practice of Restorative Justice.
Risk and Uncertainty: The Challenges for the Next Decade examined how the nature of risk might change in the future and the effect that change might have on how Government and the private sector will need to develop their risk management procedures.
Scotland's Futures Project Lesley Fraser and David Rennie from the Scottish Executive's Strategy Unit discussed the key findings of Scotland's Futures Project - a major piece of work which looks 20 years ahead to ask how Scotland might be best positioned for the future in international terms.
Social, demographic and organisational trends - an analysis by Ben Page of Ipsos MORI of current and future changes in Britain.
Social Capital explored what is meant by social capital; reviewed recent trends in social capital in the UK and other countries; and examined the potential importance of social capital for a range of economic and social outcomes.
Social Exclusion: Patterns and Policy Challenges discussed patterns, trends and drivers of social exclusion; implications; and governments role and policy implication.
Small Business in the UK discussed the issues that small businesses may face in the future and considered how Government might assist in ensuring that this sector is given every opportunity to develop.
Strategic Futures aimed to share and debate the results of research into some key futures issues.
Technology, Innovation and Public Services discussed technological innovation in public services and how new technology can improve efficiency.
(Slivers of) Time Markets Wingham Rowan, Programme Director from Slivers of Time, discussed the programme to expand the employment opportunities of those able only to work restricted hours.
Trade policy leading economist and New York Times columnist, Professor Paul Krugman of Princeton University, discussed the effects of the growth in international trade on the distribution of incomes and the potential implications for policy.
Transport: Trends and Challenges looked at how the nature of transport might change in the future and the effect that change might have on issues such as congestion, the environment and civic engagement.
Workforce Development aimed was to develop an understanding of the possible directions open to the UK workforce in future years.