Creating Better Public Services: What can the UK learn from New Zealand (and vice versa)

Venue: Institute for Government

The Institute for Government is pleased to invite you to a talk by Bill English MP, deputy Prime Minister and Lead Minister for the New Zealand government’s wide-ranging public service reform agenda.

The New Zealand  government recently launched a major reform programme, Better Public Services, with the objective of creating a public service and state sector that achieves value-for-money, is innovative, provides high-quality services and manages change effectively. The programme is focussed in particular on improving the state’s ability to tackle problems that cut across departmental boundaries. The government has now published its 10 overarching objectives (or ‘results’) around themes such as welfare dependence and vulnerable children, which it is committed to achieving within five years.

Mr English will discuss the Better Public Services programme, the progress made, the challenges faced and the lessons learnt so far.

Francis Maude MP, lead minister for civil service reform in the UK government, will respond to this speech and the two ministers will discuss how the UK and New Zealand can learn from each other’s experience of seeking to improve public services in a time of fiscal constraint.

The discussion will be chaired by the Rt Hon Peter Riddell, Director of the Institute for Government.

The event will start promptly at 16:30 and will be followed by a drinks reception.

To register for this event, please respond to events@instituteforgovernment.org.uk by Wednesday 19th September.