Recommendations & Conclusions
8 items
18
Recommendation
Eighth Report: Economic impact of coron…
Not Addressed
The Treasury and the OBR should consider raising the profile of regional data in their publications. We also recommend that the Bank of England develop their datasets from their Regional Agents network and Decision Maker panel and endeavour to highlight disparities in regions in their publications. We recommend that the …
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The Treasury and the OBR should consider raising the profile of regional data in their publications. We also recommend that the Bank of England develop their datasets from their Regional Agents network and Decision Maker panel and endeavour to highlight disparities in regions in their publications. We recommend that the Treasury also review the remits of both the OBR and Bank in the next year to see whether they need changing to reflect the Government’s “levelling up” agenda.
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Government response AI summary
The government response copies the recommendation text but only addresses the Bank of England's part, stating the Bank will consider whether more regional data could be published. It does not address the recommendations for the Treasury and OBR to raise the profile of regional data …
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HM Treasury
20
Recommendation
Eighth Report: Economic impact of coron…
Not Addressed
Local authorities are critical in responding to local outbreaks effectively. In the forthcoming Spending Review or budget process, local government spending must not be treated as a residual and must be costed based on the submissions put forward by local authorities.
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Local authorities are critical in responding to local outbreaks effectively. In the forthcoming Spending Review or budget process, local government spending must not be treated as a residual and must be costed based on the submissions put forward by local authorities.
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Government response AI summary
The government response provides a general update on its economic support measures during the pandemic, including extensions to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and business loan schemes, but does not address the specific recommendation regarding local government spending and its costing in future reviews.
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HM Treasury
21
Recommendation
Eighth Report: Economic impact of coron…
Not Addressed
The Government should as soon as possible set out in a public document the type of support available to local authorities in the event of a localised lock-down and how it will work with local authorities to support local businesses.
Government response AI summary
The government provided a general update on national support packages, including the extension of the CJRS and various loan schemes, following new national restrictions. However, it did not specifically set out a public document on support available to local authorities in localised lockdowns or explain …
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HM Treasury
22
Conclusion
Eighth Report: Economic impact of coron…
Not Addressed
It is too simplistic to say that a compulsory lockdown is a trade-off between the people’s health and the economy. The very presence of the virus, and how people respond to it regardless of what the Government mandates, has an economic impact. And lockdowns don’t just affect the economy—they have …
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It is too simplistic to say that a compulsory lockdown is a trade-off between the people’s health and the economy. The very presence of the virus, and how people respond to it regardless of what the Government mandates, has an economic impact. And lockdowns don’t just affect the economy—they have health implications as well, positive and negative, beyond just combatting coronavirus.
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Government response AI summary
The government response details its general economic support package during the pandemic, including extensions to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and loan schemes, but does not engage with the committee's nuanced observation on the trade-offs and impacts of lockdowns.
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HM Treasury
23
Recommendation
Eighth Report: Economic impact of coron…
Not Addressed
When it imposes and removes social restrictions, the Government needs to be as clear as possible that a) there are harms in restrictions and there is a trade-off between these harms and the harms of the virus spreading; and b) how they have made that balance, recognising this is going …
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When it imposes and removes social restrictions, the Government needs to be as clear as possible that a) there are harms in restrictions and there is a trade-off between these harms and the harms of the virus spreading; and b) how they have made that balance, recognising this is going to be a matter of judgment.
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Government response AI summary
The government response details its general economic support measures, including extensions to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and business loan schemes, but does not address the recommendation about being clearer on the harms and trade-offs of social restrictions and how decisions are balanced.
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HM Treasury
24
Conclusion
Eighth Report: Economic impact of coron…
Not Addressed
It is notable that the synchronisation of the OBR’s analysis and the Government’s announcements appears to have been challenged in the crisis. The OBR scenario analysis undertaken in the Fiscal Sustainability Report did not include the Government’s measures in its Plan for Jobs announced just a week before. This could …
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It is notable that the synchronisation of the OBR’s analysis and the Government’s announcements appears to have been challenged in the crisis. The OBR scenario analysis undertaken in the Fiscal Sustainability Report did not include the Government’s measures in its Plan for Jobs announced just a week before. This could be because the crisis requires a rapid policy response, which means that it was not always possible to inform the OBR of policy announcements in the normal working timetable.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response did not address the committee's observation regarding the synchronisation challenges between OBR analysis and government announcements during the crisis. Instead, it discussed the OBR's mandate and the risks of expanding its responsibilities.
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HM Treasury
18
Conclusion
Eleventh Report - Economic impact of co…
Not Addressed
The Treasury’s analysis has been criticised for not providing modelling of the alternative to lockdowns. There is evidence to suggest that in the absence of lockdown, people would have socially distanced to a large extent through fear of viral transmission and infection. As such, while a lockdown is a significant …
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The Treasury’s analysis has been criticised for not providing modelling of the alternative to lockdowns. There is evidence to suggest that in the absence of lockdown, people would have socially distanced to a large extent through fear of viral transmission and infection. As such, while a lockdown is a significant and costly imposition by Government, that cost when compared to the alternative with voluntary social distancing, may be less than many assume.
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Government response AI summary
The government provides a general statement about its approach to economic analysis and decision-making regarding COVID-19, but does not specifically address the committee's point about modelling alternatives to lockdowns or the costs of voluntary social distancing.
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HM Treasury
24
Recommendation
Eleventh Report - Economic impact of co…
Not Addressed
We strongly believe that the Treasury needs to retain greater modelling capacity outside the OBR, so that it can model the implications of different policies. It should also ensure that it has sufficient capacity to modify or use new types of modelling techniques where necessary. We recommend that the Treasury …
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We strongly believe that the Treasury needs to retain greater modelling capacity outside the OBR, so that it can model the implications of different policies. It should also ensure that it has sufficient capacity to modify or use new types of modelling techniques where necessary. We recommend that the Treasury produces a policy document that sets out what its modelling capacity should be and what modelling it should be expected to carry out and publish, independently of the OBR. This is especially important in times of crisis, when the Treasury may rapidly roll out programmes without the benefit of OBR analysis. (Paragraph 114) Economic impact of coronavirus: gaps in support and economic analysis 37
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Government response AI summary
The government provides a general description of its existing approach to economic analysis, including studying academic literature and commissioning SAGE advice, but does not address the specific recommendation to produce a policy document on its independent modelling capacity.
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HM Treasury