52/02
5 June 2002
ADDING IT UP TO BETTER PUBLIC SERVICES
Further improvement in vital public services will be more readily achievable through a new website sharing evidence which underpins key Government policies, Chief Secretary Paul Boateng announced today.
Launching the website www.addingitup.gov.uk, Mr Boateng said:
"The Adding It Up website marks a significant further step forward in improving public services.
"It will enable Government Departments to enhance their store of important evidence used to determine the right policies to meet Government objectives, and to share the most up to date information about their own evidence base.
"It will further strengthen the policy making process and, perhaps most importantly, influence the research community and stimulate debate to generate positive approaches to make further progress in the vital area of public service improvement."
Under the Adding It Up initiative major spending Departments have been asked to set out evidence organised according to their Public Service Agreement (PSA) Objectives. They have provided references to :
- the most important research that has informed policy choice
- set out work in progress that may influence future policy choices
- programmes already in place to strengthen the evidence base further.
The website actively seeks to stimulate debate with outside experts. Its aim is to give the research community wider perspectives on policy research priorities while also opening up Departments' evidence bases, enabling them to gain insights from research activity being carried out elsewhere.
The initial information contained in the website will be regularly updated and expanded to reflect the debate generated and the improvement of the evidence base over time.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The website was developed in response to the conclusions of the Performance and Innovation Unit PIU Report Adding It Up", published by the Cabinet Office in January 2000.
2. Contributions have been co-ordinated by the 'Adding It Up' secretariat in HM Treasury although editorial control for remains with individual Departments.
3. 'Adding It Up' set out a comprehensive programme for creating the conditions in which rigorous analysis is routinely delivered and demanded for policymaking. It concluded that action was required in five main areas:
Leadership
Training for new Ministers and senior civil servants should emphasise the importance of analysis for evidence-based policy. Departments should redress any bias against quantification and analysis.
Openness
Departments should produce an (annually reviewed) analytical strategy and publish and externally audit long-term quantitative research.
Better planning
The Treasury, as part of the Spending Review process, should identify deficiencies, gaps and overlaps in analytical strategies. Central Departments should review their analytical capability to perform this challenge role.
Spreading best practice
Enhancement of the use of pilots to test the impact of policies, making better use of administrative data and communicating what data is available; specialists in Government should increase networking.
Recruiting and retaining the best people
Government should make greater use of personal promotion, increase movement between generalist and specialist posts and examine the case for rewarding good analysis with higher pay.
4. The Adding It Up Implementation Group, chaired by the Chief Economist in HM Treasury Public Service Directorate, oversees the changes set out in the report. Progress is recorded in reports to the Prime Minister.
5. Media enquiries should be addressed to Charles Keseru in the Treasury press office on 020 7270 5188.
6. This press release and information about other Treasury initiatives is available on the Treasury website.