Recommendation 15

HM Government Accepted

The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented. The Evaluation Task Force will continue supporting departmental analysts with identifying project-specific evaluation data, particularly for projects within the Task Force’s priority areas, which are listed on its website. The Magenta Book sets the standard for evaluation and has a range of support available for the whole of government. The Task Force does not routinely identify data for every cross-government project, which is not practicable within existing resources given the countless examples of cross-government work taking place at any given time. Departments are ultimately responsible for evaluating their own programmes, including those that are delivered jointly with other departments, and are best placed to understand the data requirements to do this, working with relevant departments. The government acknowledges that difficulties sharing data is a long-established challenge for joint working, and much of the challenge is in implementation, governance, and delivery, particularly in departments. The Central Digital and Data Office is leading cross-government work to improve data accessibility, availability and reuse, as set out in the National Data Strategy and Roadmap for Digital and Data. Departments remain responsible for their own use of data, in line with overarching policies. The Aqua Book sets out guidance for departments on producing quality analysis for government, including data requirements. The government considers that through relevant bodies it has implemented concrete steps to ensure the appropriate data is identified for delivering, monitoring and evaluating cross-government projects. The government will keep this under review, ensuring the right processes and information are available. The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented. The Evaluation Task Force, as a joint HM Treasury/Cabinet Office team, will continue to support analytical teams in departments both in upskilling their own staff and colleagues, and improving evaluation practice across government. As part of this, the Task Force already runs a free Evaluation Academy to teach government officials how to train their own colleagues in vital evaluation skills. This has already upskilled over 100 trainers who in turn have passed their skills on to over 1,000 colleagues. The Task Force will continue to provide details to departments on how to identify, collect and analyse data required for conducting a suitable and useful evaluation. One key enabler of this will be the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Integrated Data Service (IDS) which provides access to deidentified data, analytical and visualisation tools, in a secure multi-cloud infrastructure, for accredited researchers and analysts. The IDS offers departments the ability to share data within a secure cloud-native environment and makes these data available for cross-departmental analysis where there are relevant permissions. The Analysis Function will continue to support departments around analytical expertise required in high profile projects and policy areas. Directors of Analysis in each department are ultimately responsible for the analytical capability in each department.