June 2022
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference examined options for increasing the involvement of key stakeholder groups outside government in the development of policy in the UK.
Delegates discussed opportunities for stakeholders to bring their experience and understanding of key issues into the refining and implementation of policy - including in higher education, research, the private sector, local government and the third sector.
The agenda brought out latest thinking on priorities for key UK industries and research bodies - including opportunities, challenges and the UK’s positioning in international markets following the pandemic and the UK’s exit from the European Union.
It took place in the context of a range of policy developments, including:
- health research and AI development - with the drive for diversity in inputs to address algorithmic and research bias
- government seeking to move forward on key policy areas - including engagement in the implementation of measures in the Levelling Up White Paper
- the planned COVID-19 inquiry - with questions around:
- knowledge exchange and the sharing of data
- possible benefits that more involvement outside Whitehall might have brought in setting the direction of policy and tactics
- the outcomes that might have been achieved, particularly in relation to those affecting people from minority ethnic backgrounds
Sessions looked at:
- latest thinking - options for policy-making reform
- the process of stakeholder engagement - improving access & transparency ◦ outreach ◦ streamlining cooperation ◦ organisation & coordination
- diversity - evidence ◦ engagement ◦ improving understanding of policy impact
- stakeholders & policy priorities - deepening cooperation ◦ the financial sector ◦ retail ◦ involving the public in science & technology policy
- key regions & economic areas - engagement ◦ government’s levelling up agenda ◦ tackling wider inequalities
- next steps - evidence-informed policy going forward
We were pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with Amy Carmichael, Senior Policy Advisor, Open Innovation Team; Maurice Mcleod, Chief Executive, Race on the Agenda; Henri Murison, Director, Northern Powerhouse Partnership; and Jonathan Slater, Visiting Professor, Policy Institute, Kings College London; and former Permanent Secretary, DfE.
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from Audit Wales; BEIS; Civil Service Policy Profession Unit; DAERA, NI; DCMS; Defra; DAERA, NI; DCMS; Defra; Department for Communities, NI; DfE; DIT; Department for the Economy NI; Dstl; DoH; DHSC; DfT; DWP; FSS; Government Office for Science; Government Policy Profession; HMRC; the Home Office; ICO; IPO; MAC; NIC; the MOJ; NIRO; ONS; the OPSS; The Scottish Government and the Welsh Government - as well as parliamentary pass-holders from POST.
