90 likes | 192 Vues
Explore how Scotland is implementing the Atkinson Review recommendations to enhance government productivity measurement, including successes and ongoing challenges.
E N D
The Public Sector in Scotland Implementing the Atkinson Review Recommendations 31 January 2006 Alwyn Pritchard UK Centre for the Measurement of Government Activity
Atkinson Review • Set up by National Statistician • … “to advance methodologies for the measurement of government output” • … also covering productivity and inputs • Think of: GDP (Expenditure) -> General government final consumption expenditure • Money: purchases made to provide services • Volume: services produced (21% of GDP) • But GDP (Output) follows same principles
Government services in the National Accounts: a short history • Up to late 1990’s, outputs = inputs • Then rules changed: measure what people receive • 1998: add together treatments in hospitals, numbers at school • ONS quick to implement new rules (not a legal obligation until 2006) • Spending departments showed little interest, ONS worked alone • Public service performance was not the high profile issue it is now
Government productivity • 2001: work began on productivity measurement – natural offshoot • If outputs grow faster than inputs, productivity change is positive • Public services performance had a higher profile now • Others were also developing ways of measuring performance • People wanted to hear a coherent story • No longer just a national accounts issue
Atkinson Review • Set up late 2003, reported early 2005 • Broadly supported ONS’s goals and approach • Provided intellectual underpinning • Recommended a large programme of work • Invented triangulation? • Brought topic to the attention of wider public • Led quickly to better output measures: • Health: not total number of hospital operations but a cost weighted total: op costing £7000 is 10 times more output than the £700 op.
Achievements to date • Departments are actively participating: • better data on activity and spending flowing to ONS • developing and publishing methodology proposals • UKCeMGA Productivity papers series, covering major functions • Atkinson: a policy issue as much as a national accounts one • Atkinson ideas becoming basis of performance management
Still to do • Greater understanding of these issues in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and • More active participation and interest, based on good quality research • Achieve good results coverage across all functions of devolved administrations • Tackle difficult areas: justice, courts • Measuring quality change is a major challenge • Contribute to a well informed discussion on what is achieved through government spending
Keys to success so far • Support at the highest levels of Government • Collaboration with those who deliver services • Academic research programme feeds into work • Independent Advisory Board for UKCeMGA • Culture of openness
The Public Sector in Scotland Implementing the Atkinson Review Recommendations 31 January 2006 Alwyn Pritchard UK Centre for the Measurement of Government Activity