Leading Questions

Confident decision-making for better outcomes in government

Civil servants in government make many decisions every day. From policy officials working to develop responsive services that meet users’ needs, to frontline officials who have to make choices on what tax cases to prioritise, the work of government requires the skills to make effective decisions. This Global Government Forum webinar looked at how governments can build systems that help drive better decision-making – and how civil servants can develop the skills to make – and implement – confident decisions. This webinar brought together public servants from around the world to discuss how governments are streamlining the way they work to become more nimble. It looked at how governments are building systems that will provide more effective data on public service delivery – boosting effective decision-making and facilitating action. This session discussed: The data practices that are making a difference for decision-makers, and the value that can be unlocked from more timely and accurate data in government. The technology and operations that are improving decision-makers’ agility to react to changing and evolving conditions. The skills needed to make confident decisions in government. The role of AI and AI agents in better decision-making and action-taking.

What is Everythingism, and how does it affect the way that governments work?

In this conversation, the executive editor of Global Government Forum Richard Johnstone chats to Joe Hill, the policy director of the think-tank Re:state about his recent essay, Everythingism. There’s a link to Joe’s essay at the bottom of these notes, but Everythingism is what Joe Hill describes as the belief in government that “every proposal, project or policy is a means for promoting every national objective, all at the same time”. In this episode, Richard and Joe dig into exactly what Everythingism means, how it manifests in policymaking, and the impact that it can have in government.   According to Hill, Everythingism emerges from the denial or avoidance of trade-offs in government – and argues this denial is one of the contributors to the widely-felt frustration with the pace of change in government. Also worth noting for listeners is that Richard spoke to Joe before the think-tank announced its name change to Re:state from Reform. We hope you enjoy this podcast, and please do share with anyone who would like it. And to hear more from public service experts and analysts, subscribe to Leading Questions wherever you get your podcasts. Read Joe’s essay here: Everythingism: an essay

Understanding the fraud risk in the public sector – and how to tackle it

The threat that public sector organisations face from fraud is growing. In an era when technological advancements are rapidly transforming the landscape, public sector organisations face unprecedented challenges in combating fraud. According to a survey of public servants undertaken by SAS, all public sector agencies surveyed are currently experiencing some form of fraud and expect to see an increase in at least one type of fraud over the next 5 years. Fraud is also having an impact on public finances. In the UK, chancellor Rachel Reeves has set out a crackdown on fraud in the welfare system, with a focus on saving £4.3bn by the end of the decade, while the International Public Sector Fraud Forum has published a revised framework that sets out key principles and processes for conducting fraud loss measurement exercises to better quantify the cost of fraud – and measure savings. The importance of unlocking these savings is demonstrated by the SAS research, which identified that tackling fraud, waste and abuse could release savings equivalent to around 16% of their government’s budget. This webinar session examined the scale and extent of the fraud challenge that governments around the world face – and how to tackle it. The session brought together public servants to discuss: The trends in the type of fraud threats that governments face now – and will face in future. How governments are tackling the threats they face now – and preparing for the threats that are on the horizon. The role for AI and analytics in tackling the fraud challenges that government face – and how these technologies can be embedded in current working practices.

How to deploy artificial intelligence in government: a step-by-step guide

The race is on, both within and among governments, to develop and implement artificial intelligence (AI) tools for greater productivity better public services. But the race cannot be run, let alone won, without systems changes and cultural reinvigoration among department workforces. Deploying AI technology at scale will mean changing delivery systems, long-term staff training and fluid yet secure and ethical data sharing within organisations.  This webinar, supported by GGF’s knowledge partners SAS, discussed how to make AI work for government. Speakers discussed ways to develop use cases, including business cases, for AI that demonstrate how it can be deployed in the most effective way. They also discussed the building blocks for making AI work, as well as recommendations on the AI tools and media that panellists themselves find useful. The ‘How to deploy artificial intelligence in government: a step-by-step guide’ webinar was originally held on 13 March 2025.

UK data leaders on delivering the government missions

In the UK, the government is focused on harnessing the potential of digital and data to unlock better, more responsive and effective services. In a recent conversation hosted by Global Government Forum, government data experts discussed the role, opportunities and challenges of using data and AI to deliver on its five missions.  Those five missions include: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, making streets safer, breaking down barriers to opportunity, and finally, building an NHS fit for the future. In this podcast, you will hear from government data leaders on how data insights can be used to achieve these goals, as well as how to drive the changes that mission-led government requires. The challenges that organisations faced were also discussed, including foundational data constraints, and the limitations of legacy systems, funding and digital skills. Listen to find out from government leaders how data can help drive the government’s missions. This podcast is based on a webinar Real time insight for missions: how to measure progress on the government’s priorities, held on 6 May. Find out more about the session and watch it in full here.