Blog Posts Hope for the year ahead WCPP Director Professor Dan Bristow looks ahead at a busy year for WCPP and our partners. He outlines the importance of the upcoming Senedd election while stressing the broader context of change and uncertainty. Read more February 4, 2026
Blog Posts Research and Impact How to lead an evidence centre In the last ten years, a range of countries have invested in organisations designed to bridge the gap between researchers and policy makers. In the United Kingdom alone, we now have 12 What Works Centres, 30 Health Determinants Research Collaborations, three Local Policy Innovations Partnerships, several regional evidence centres, and dozens of policy engagement teams […] Read more Research and Impact: The role of KBOs November 3, 2025
Blog Posts Research and Impact Four lessons from What Works Centres on understanding impact Eleanor Mackillop shares four lessons in planning, generating and evaluating impact that could benefit all organisations that broker evidence into policy. Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods and approaches The role of KBOs July 30, 2025
Blog Posts Research and Impact What does it take to lead an evidence intermediary organisation? Professor Steve Martin, Director of the Wales Centre for Public Policy for the centre’s first ten years, sheds some early light on his research into what it takes to lead these organisations – and how this learning could be used to help future leaders of academic-policy engagement initiatives. There is growing recognition of the key […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods and approaches The role of KBOs December 16, 2024
News Research and Impact Steve Martin retires as WCPP Director: “The Centre is in good hands” Professor Steve Martin will be stepping down as Director of the Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) at the end of November after more than a decade at its helm, with current Acting Director, Professor James Downe continuing in that role until Steve’s permanent successor is appointed. Steve will continue to support the Centre in […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods and approaches The role of KBOs October 9, 2024
Blog Posts Research and Impact Understanding impact across the UK's What Works Network All What Works Centres (WWCs) aim to have impact by getting evidence into policy and/or practice. However, because every Centre has different aims, practices, audiences, funding models, staffing levels and size, their understanding of impact, and how they measure and communicate their impact, can differ. Our preliminary research based on interviews with WWCs and their […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods and approaches The role of KBOs October 7, 2024
News Congratulations Laura! Professor Laura McAllister has taken over as chair of the Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) Advisory Group while Dr June Milligan becomes vice-chair. A Professor of Public Policy and the Governance of Wales at Cardiff University, Laura has been a member of WCPP’s Advisory Group since 2017. Alongside her academic career, she has performed […] Read more May 29, 2024
Blog Posts Research and Impact What has devolution delivered for Wales? The day after marking its 25th birthday, the Welsh Senedd voted to increase its size by more than 50%. In 2026 the Welsh public will therefore elect 96 members in place of the current 60. Advocates of this change hailed it as a historic investment in democracy which reflected the significant strengthening of the Senedd’s […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Impact May 24, 2024
Blog Posts Research and Impact How to improve regional productivity levers in England and Wales How to improve regional productivity levers in England and Wales As winners of the 2024 Award for the Best Paper published in Regional Studies Policy Debates, Helen Tilley, Jack Newman, Charlotte Hoole, Andrew Connell, and Ananya Mukherjee discuss the winning paper. They argue that UK regions lack the policy levers they need to improve productivity […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Methods and approaches April 17, 2024
Blog Posts Research and Impact Q and A with Kathryn Williams, PhD intern We caught up with Kathryn Williams who has recently spent three months as a PhD intern with WCPP. Kathryn is an ESRC funded PhD student in the School of Social Science at Cardiff University. 1. Overall, how have you found your time at the Centre? I have enjoyed working in the Centre and have been […] Read more Research and Impact: PhD interns March 7, 2024
News Research and Impact WCPP confirms commitment to tackling key policy challenges facing Wales The Wales Centre for Public Policy has confirmed its commitment to supporting Wales’ public services to tackle three key policy challenges: Tackling Inequalities Environment and net zero Community Wellbeing To mark its tenth anniversary and the start of a new, five-year funding period, the WCPP has published ‘WCPP at 10’ which details some of the […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods and approaches December 11, 2023
News Research and Impact A new 12-month role for Steve Martin Over the next 12 months our Director, Professor Steve Martin, will take a step back from day-to-day leadership of the WCPP to enable him to work with colleagues to advance understanding of successful approaches to supporting evidence-informed policy making. With the support of our funders - the Welsh Government, ESRC and Cardiff University - Steve […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods and approaches The role of KBOs November 17, 2023
Reports Research and Impact Is your policy going to fail? Here’s how you can tell and what you can do about it Policies often fail to achieve their intentions. While much has been written about this, and how to avoid it, knowledge and insight is somewhat siloed. In collaboration with the Centre for Evidence and Implementation, we undertook a review to understand the latest thinking on the policy-implementation gap and identify how insights from implementation science can […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods and approaches November 13, 2023
Blog Posts Community Wellbeing Tackling Inequalities Complex partnership arrangements are a barrier to effective support for children and families It has long been recognised that for the most vulnerable children, those at risk of going into care, the services that offer support must be provided in a coordinated and ‘joined-up’ way. This is both because of overlapping problems and needs, with the most frequently cited being the ‘trigger trio’ of substance misuse, domestic abuse, […] Read more Topics: Community collaboration August 12, 2023
News Building safety regulation evidence published The Wales Centre for Public Policy has published international evidence on building safety regulation to help inform draft Welsh Government legislation. Currently in Wales, building safety is regulated by local authorities and the fire and rescue services but the Welsh Government commissioned WCPP to contribute evidence on regulatory models as part of its planned reforms […] Read more Topics: Housing and homes May 12, 2023
News Research and Impact Wales Centre for Public Policy awarded funding to study the impact of the What Works Network The Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) has been awarded ESRC funding to continue examining and developing the impact of the What Works Network. The project will focus on two key aspects of WCPP’s work: implementation and impact. This will involve analysing how these markers of success look to WWC’s stakeholders and how other organisations […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods and approaches The role of KBOs April 4, 2023
Projects Research and Impact Examining the impact of the What Works Network The Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) has been awarded ESRC funding to continue examining and developing the impact of the What Works Network. This work builds on previous Centre projects such as on implementation and on impact. This new project focuses on the following research questions: What counts as impact and what are the […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact The role of KBOs April 4, 2023
Reports Research and Impact What counts as evidence for policy? During the Covid-19 pandemic, the refrain of ‘following the science’ became commonplace. But what is meant by evidence can vary according to who is asked, the context, and other factors. We conducted research to analyse the perceptions of Welsh policy actors towards evidence. These perceptions matter because they will impact why evidence is used or […] Read more Research and Impact: The role of KBOs January 26, 2023
News Research and Impact The Wales Centre for Public Policy receives £9 million investment to support its on-going work in tackling major policy challenges We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded £9 million over the next five years to continue our work providing policy makers and public service leaders in Wales with authoritative independent evidence that helps improve policy making and delivery. We are funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, Welsh Government and Cardiff […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods and approaches The role of KBOs November 29, 2022
Blog Posts Research and Impact Understanding organisations that provide evidence for policy This blog post is based on the Evidence & Policy article, ‘Knowledge brokering organisations: a new way of governing evidence’. New organisations have emerged in different countries to help inform policymaking. Different from think tanks and academic research centres, these Knowledge Brokering Organisations (KBOs) attempt to influence policy by mobilising evidence. Our research examines how […] Read more Research and Impact: The role of KBOs November 1, 2022
Blog Posts National Milestones – Using evidence and expertise to tell a ‘status story’ The ‘second wave’ of Welsh Government consultation on its National Milestones ended last month. The Milestones relate to a set of National Indicators, articulated under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, which enable the measurement of progress towards the seven Well-being Goals for Wales. These National Milestones deliberately align with milestones operating at […] Read more October 25, 2022
Blog Posts Research and Impact Taking stock of our Research Apprentice scheme The Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) introduced the Research Apprenticeship scheme in 2017. The scheme aims to build the capacity of early-career researchers to engage with policymakers and public services to respond to key challenges in Wales. It has attracted hundreds of applications annually from excellent candidates who wish to gain first-hand experience of […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods and approaches PhD interns October 6, 2022
Blog Posts Research and Impact Has devolution delivered? The last 25 years have seen a significant and sustained increase in public support for devolution in Wales. The 1997 referendum produced only a wafer thin majority in favour of creating a Welsh Assembly. Now fewer than 1 in 5 of the adult population say that they would vote to reverse that decision, whilst a […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Impact September 23, 2022
Reports Reform of electoral law and practice Elections were devolved to Wales through the Government of Wales Act 2017. Since then, Welsh Ministers have embarked on a programme of electoral reform most noted by the extension of the franchise to 16 and 17 year-olds and qualifying foreign citizens for Senedd and local government elections. The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act also […] Read more Topics: Local government March 25, 2022
Blog Posts Tackling Inequalities Should the age of participation in education or training be raised to 18 in Wales? Dr Matt Dickson is Reader in Public Policy at the Institute for Policy Research (IPR) at the University of Bath. Sue Maguire is an Honorary Professor at the IPR at the University of Bath. Their research on raising the age of participation to 18 has recently been published by the Wales Centre for Public Policy. […] Read more Topics: Education inequalities February 3, 2022
News Research and Impact WCPP work showcased in new report from the Academy of Social Sciences The Wales Centre for Public Policy is featured in a new report published by the Academy of Social Sciences, in partnership with SAGE Publishing. The Place to Be: how social sciences are helping to improve places in the UK, brings together 24 case studies showcasing how university-based social scientists are helping to make local areas, […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods and approaches November 11, 2021
Blog Posts Research and Impact Five years on from the Brexit referendum Five years ago today the UK voted to leave the European Union (EU), a process which culminated in the beginning of a new trade relationship with the EU from January 1st of this year. WCPP and our predecessor organisation PPIW have been engaged with understanding the implications of Brexit for Wales throughout this period. We […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Impact June 23, 2021
Projects Reform of Electoral Law and Practice Elections were devolved to Wales through the Government of Wales Act 2017. Since then, Welsh Ministers have embarked on a programme of electoral reform most noted by the extension of the franchise to 16- and 17-year-olds and qualifying foreign citizens for Senedd and local government elections. The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act also provided […] Read more Topics: Local government June 21, 2021
Blog Posts Research and Impact PhD Internships – Learning by doing In January 2021, the Wales Centre for Public Policy welcomed two doctoral students on three-month ESRC funded internships. Aimee Morse from the University of Gloucestershire studied a local evidence ecosystem - a case-study of a farmer group in North Wales, and Findlay Smith from Aberystwyth University worked with us to study the Welsh Government’s use […] Read more Research and Impact: PhD interns April 29, 2021
Blog Posts Research and Impact It ain’t what you (can) do it’s the way that you do it How can devolved governments deliver distinctive policies? Just because a government has the power to do something, it doesn’t always mean that it can actually do it. So what makes the difference? We explored this question in a recently published article which we wrote with Steve Martin. The question matters because making policy and law […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods and approaches April 14, 2021
Reports WCPP Evidence Briefing Papers The Wales Centre for Public Policy works with leading researchers and policy experts to synthesise and mobilise existing evidence and identify gaps where there is a need to generate new knowledge. This series of evidence briefing papers summarises some of the key policy areas, challenges and opportunities that we have researched in recent years. In […] Read more Topics: Economy Employment, work and skills March 9, 2021
News End of Brexit transition period marks “period of significant disruption” for Welsh economy Businesses in some key sectors of the Welsh economy need increased support to operate beyond the Brexit transition period. A report from the Wales Centre for Public Policy concludes that businesses could face “a period of significant disruption” from 1 January, with longer term adjustments including investment in cross sector innovation and research and development […] Read more Topics: Economy December 17, 2020
Blog Posts Research and Impact What might implementation science and knowledge mobilisation mean for What Works Centres? Implementation science (IS) and knowledge mobilisation (KMb) are just two concepts in the plethora of ideas and terms developed over the last decades in narrowing the gap between knowledge being produced and knowledge being used in policy and practice. Other terms include knowledge brokering, knowledge transfer, co-production, dissemination science, and knowledge exchange. Most of them […] Read more Research and Impact: The role of KBOs December 8, 2020
News Research and Impact WCPP joins £2m International Public Policy Observatory The Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) is part of a major new initiative that will bring together researchers and policy makers to tackle the impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic and accelerate the UK’s recovery. The International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO) is a collaboration between University College London, Cardiff University, Queen’s University Belfast, the University of […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods and approaches The role of KBOs December 3, 2020
Projects Remote working and the Welsh economy The Welsh economy is experiencing a profound and unprecedented shock as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. One of the consequences of lockdowns and public health restrictions has been requiring people to work from home where they are able to. UK data suggests that while just 5 per cent of workers worked from home prior […] Read more Topics: Economy Employment, work and skills December 2, 2020
Projects Brexit and the NHS workforce As part of the EU Transition Support Fund Grant received from the Welsh Government, the Welsh NHS Confederation commissioned the Wales Centre for Public Policy to analyse the likely effects on the health and social care workforce, which staff groups might be most affected, and the implications for the long-term workforce strategy for health and […] Read more Topics: Economy Employment, work and skills December 2, 2020
Projects The implications of the European transition for key economic sectors The European Union is the most economically valuable international trading partner for Wales and the UK, accounting for 43% and 52% of total UK exports and imports respectively in 2019. Following its exit from the EU, the UK Government has started to negotiate free trade agreements with the EU and with other countries around the […] Read more Topics: Economy December 2, 2020
Reports Post-Brexit migration and Wales This report analyses the potential impacts of post-Brexit migration policies on Wales’ labour market, population and society, and identifies ways in which the Welsh Government might respond to the opportunities and challenges that this presents. Ending free movement will have a significant impact on population change in Wales, which has been more reliant on non-UK […] Read more Topics: Economy November 30, 2020
Reports Developing leaders in the public sector The First Minister asked us to prepare an independent assessment of how Welsh public services are developing future leaders to be effective and to meet the needs of the people of Wales. A particular focus was whether future leaders had broad experience from across the public sector, as well as the skills and behaviours to […] Read more Topics: Local government September 14, 2020
Blog Posts Research and Impact The Coronavirus pandemic – an opportunity for policy entrepreneurs? It has become something of a mantra that ‘things cannot be the same’ after the Coronavirus pandemic. This is partly because of a growing sense that if, as seems likely, the Coronavirus pandemic will be with us for some time, we won’t be able to work, shop, learn and socialise as we used to, even […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods and approaches June 19, 2020
Blog Posts Research and Impact How might lower-ranking officials have a greater impact on policy development than previously assumed? How can small-territory, subnational governments make the most of their position? Subnational governments like the devolved governments in the UK combine some of the opportunities and limitations of the national and the local governments between which they sit. They have some ‘national government’-type responsibilities and resources, like legislative authority and funding powers, although those resources […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods and approaches April 20, 2020
Projects Developing implementation across the What Works network Building on our work to increase the impact of the What Works network across the UK, the Wales Centre for Public Policy has won funding from the ESRC to work with Professor Jonathan Sharples at EEF and other What Works Centres to apply the latest thinking and evidence on implementation – how evidence is used […] Read more Topics: Local government March 20, 2020
Reports Strengthening economic resilience In the face of economic uncertainty, policy makers are interested in how the economic resilience of economies might be strengthened. This report examines the evidence available to help inform policy debates in Wales. The Minister for Economy and Transport and the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport asked the Wales Centre for Public Policy to […] Read more Topics: Economy March 20, 2020
Blog Posts Research and Impact Increasing the reach of the What Works network At Wales Centre for Public Policy we’re part of the UK’s What Works network. It’s a group of 13 (and counting) Centres aiming to improve the use of evidence in decision-making in various policy areas from education, to policing, to wellbeing. We think we’ve got a lot to share with the rest of the What […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods and approaches The role of KBOs March 10, 2020
Reports Increasing the impact of the What Works network across the UK This report summarises the learning from an ESRC Strategic Fund project led by the Wales Centre for Public Policy in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, What Works Scotland, and the Alliance for Useful Evidence. Through a series of summits with policy makers and practitioners featuring evidence from the What Works network, this project aimed to: […] Read more Topics: Employment, work and skills March 10, 2020
Blog Posts Research and Impact 5 things we learned about procurement The Wales Centre for Public Policy has been exploring the case for a more strategic approach to public procurement for nearly two years. In July 2018 we hosted an event that considered the lessons from the collapse of Carillion. Earlier this year we published reports on contracting, stewardship and public value and on sustainable public […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Methods and approaches December 5, 2019
Blog Posts Research and Impact Mobilising Meaningful Connections between Evidence and Practice At the Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP), we are continually reflecting upon our role as a ‘knowledge brokerage organisation’ (KBO). We see ‘knowledge brokerage’ as the practice of connecting researchers and decision makers to help inform public policy and professional practice. Although knowledge brokerage has great potential, we also recognise the complexity inherent in […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods and approaches The role of KBOs November 29, 2019
Blog Posts Research and Impact What works in getting evidence used? One of the Early Intervention Foundation's (EIF) core functions is to see that evidence on early intervention is actually being used in policy, decision-making and practice. Jo Casebourne and Donna Molloy summarise some of the varied approaches we have taken to tackling this particular challenge, and our commitment to making ongoing improvements in how we […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods and approaches The role of KBOs November 26, 2019
Blog Posts Research and Impact Researching the Use of Evidence in Policy Making What does it mean to be a ‘knowledge broker’? What impact does knowledge brokerage have on government policymaking? Why might evidence use at the local level require different approaches, and how would this be implemented? Here at the Wales Centre for Public Policy we recognise that the relationship between evidence and policy is complex and […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods and approaches The role of KBOs November 18, 2019
Projects Strengthening the Economic Resilience of the Welsh Economy The concept of economic resilience has gained prominence in the decade since the financial crisis of 2008/09, raising interest as to why some economies appear more able to withstand economic shocks, or to recover more strongly, than others. This is particularly pertinent in the current climate of economic uncertainty. In 2019, the Minister for Economy […] Read more Topics: Economy November 13, 2019
Projects Public sector leadership development – existing provision and international approach The First Minister wants an independent assessment of how Welsh public services can ensure that leadership development for their staff equips current and future leaders to be effective. This is to ensure that future leaders have broad experience from across the public sector, as well as the skills and behaviours to respond to current and […] Read more Topics: Local government November 1, 2019
Projects Options for sustainable Welsh fisheries and fishing stocks management post-devolution The Welsh Government are preparing their approach to fisheries for if/when the UK leaves the European Union. They are particularly interested in future opportunities, including both quota and non-quota limits, to achieve their ‘fair share’ of allocation and to manage fish stocks for the benefit of coastal communities in Wales. This also sits in with […] Read more Topics: Economy Local government November 1, 2019
Projects Research and Impact What are Knowledge Brokering Organisations? There has been a significant growth in the number of evidence intermediaries or knowledge brokering organisations sitting between research and government and seeking to bridge the perceived ‘gap’ between evidence and policy. Their proliferation has been fuelled by the key assumption of the evidence-informed policymaking (EIPM) movement: that more evidence will lead to better policy. […] Read more Research and Impact: The role of KBOs November 1, 2019
Blog Posts Research and Impact How did we get here and how can we build on it? Across Wales a lively debate surrounds both the health of the Welsh economy and its future prospects. It is widely accepted that the performance of the Welsh economy lags behind the UK average and a range of comparator regions in other parts of Europe. There is some good news. In recent years unemployment has been […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods and approaches August 21, 2019
News Research and Impact Wales Centre for Public Policy acclaimed for outstanding impact on policy in Wales The Wales Centre for Public Policy, based at Cardiff University, has been acclaimed by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) through its annual Celebrating Impact prize scheme. The Centre was named as one of the two finalists in the category for Outstanding Public Policy Impact at a ceremony at the Royal Society in London […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact The role of KBOs July 16, 2019
Blog Posts Research and Impact Welsh Policy and Politics in Unprecedented Times On 24th May 2019, the Wales Centre for Public Policy and the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods (WISERD) organised a conference called ‘Welsh Policy and Politics in Unprecedented Times’ which brought together 45 academics, practitioners and policy-makers to discuss present and future challenges facing Wales, notably in relation to Brexit […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods and approaches July 8, 2019
Blog Posts Research and Impact Our Theory of Change There is widespread agreement across diverse policy and research communities that evidence can play a vital role in processes of democratic deliberation on the aims, design and implementation of public policy interventions. The challenge for everyone working at the interface of policy and research is how to assess the value (impact) of what we do. […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods and approaches June 25, 2019
Blog Posts Research and Impact Powers and Policy Levers - What works in delivering Welsh Government policies? As Wales marks twenty years of devolution, our latest report, Powers and Policy Levers: What works in delivering Welsh Government policies? presents the findings of a research project into the way that the Welsh Government has used the powers and policy levers available to it. Having outlined the policy context in Wales over the last […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods and approaches May 17, 2019
Reports Powers and Policy Levers - What works in delivering Welsh Government policies? This report presents the findings of research on the ways in which Welsh Ministers use the powers and policy levers available to them. We focus on two case studies: the 2014 statutory framework for homelessness services and the first attempt to introduce minimum unit alcohol pricing in Wales. These two contrasting examples show how policy […] Read more Topics: Local government May 17, 2019
Blog Posts Introducing our Advisory Board Members The group brings together a stellar cast of more than 20 eminent individuals with experience of having worked at the highest levels in government, public services, academia, think tanks and independent research organisations. It includes members with experience as national and local politicians, political advisers, senior civil servants, senior managers in local government, health, the […] Read more May 15, 2019
News Research and Impact WCPP selected as a finalist for ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize We are delighted to announce that the Centre has been selected as a finalist for this year’s ESRC’s Celebrating Impact Prize in recognition of the way in which it has enabled Ministers to use evidence to inform policy decisions. The prestigious prize, now in its seventh year, celebrates ESRC-funded teams who have achieved outstanding economic […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact The role of KBOs May 8, 2019
Blog Posts Research and Impact How can governments improve cross-cutting working? Cross cutting working - making sure that different departments and services work effectively with each other - is a constant challenge for all governments, even when they are as comparatively small as the Welsh Government. Last year, we were commissioned by the First Minister to synthesise the evidence on cross-cutting working, and our latest report, […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods and approaches April 17, 2019
Reports Improving Cross-Cutting Working Cross-cutting working is not new to Wales, and it possesses many of the prerequisites for effective cross-government working. Research shows that cross-cutting working isn’t a panacea or quick fix because it runs counter to the way in which government activity is usually organised and therefore requires high level political commitment backed by significant managerial capacity. […] Read more Topics: Local government April 17, 2019
Projects Welsh councils’ perceptions of austerity Drawing on interviews with Welsh council leaders, chief executives, finance directors, and external stakeholders, this study explores Welsh councils’ responses to austerity. We find that councils have responded to austerity in three main ways: by making efficiency savings; by reducing the need for council services; and by changing the role played by councils and other […] Read more Topics: Economy Local government April 10, 2019
Projects Implications of UK migration policy on the Welsh economy after Brexit Building on our previous work looking into immigration policy after Brexit, this project focuses on the likely impact of UK Government migration policies on the Welsh economy. Specifically, we’re working with Professor Jonathan Portes from Kings College London to model the impacts of the recommendations from the 2018 Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) report and subsequent […] Read more Topics: Economy Local government April 10, 2019
Blog Posts Research and Impact The role of behaviour change in shaping public policy decisions Behaviour change is an increasingly common theme in public policy. Peter John goes as far to claim that ‘many of the greatest challenges in public policy can only be fully addressed by changing the behaviour of citizens’. Previously, public policy interventions in behaviour change worked from the assumption that behaviours were rational processes, and that […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods and approaches March 27, 2019
Reports Sustainable Public Procurement This paper has been produced at an important juncture in discussion of public procurement in Wales. Procurement services have been criticised by both the Wales Audit Office and the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, and following a year of consultation, the then Cabinet Secretary for Finance announced the cessation of the National Procurement Service in […] Read more Topics: Local government March 13, 2019
Blog Posts Research and Impact Managing diverse relationships in cross-cutting government This ‘think piece’ builds on my recent presentation to a seminar for senior officials hosted by the Wales Centre for Public Policy which looked at the thorny issue of cross-government working. It isn’t an academic review, and I have deliberately not burdened it with lots of academic references. Instead I’m drawing on practical, interesting and […] Read more Topics: Diversity and inclusion Local government Research and Impact: Methods and approaches March 5, 2019
Reports Integrated Early Years Systems This report provides an overview of available international evidence on integrated early years systems. It analyses the early years systems in Belgium, Denmark, Estonia and the Netherlands and explores the means by which system change has been achieved. Most countries are in the process of creating their integrated early years system, with no one country […] Read more Topics: Community collaboration January 14, 2019
Reports Legislating to Prohibit Parental Physical Punishment of Children This report explores what might be learnt from countries which have introduced legislation to prohibit parental physical punishment of children. Based on a review of the legislation of, and accompanying research on, relevant jurisdictions, it seeks to identify the factors to be considered when reform proposals are being developed. As of 1 May 2018, 53 […] Read more Topics: Local government Loneliness November 2, 2018
Projects How can policy commissions maximise their impact? In this short project, we examined the question ‘what makes a Welsh Government Commission effective?’ What impact can they have upon devolved policy making and public services? And in Westminster and Whitehall? Is it possible to distill critical success factors? The work was intended to inform the work of the Commission on the Future of […] Read more Topics: Local government August 21, 2018
Projects Increasing the Impact of the What Works Network across the UK The Wales Centre for Public Policy has worked with What Works Scotland, Queen’s University Belfast, the Alliance for Useful Evidence and a range of What Works Centres to increase the impact of the What Works network across the UK, in an ESRC-funded project. The project involved running a series of summits for policymakers and public […] Read more Topics: Local government August 20, 2018
Blog Posts Learning the lessons from Carillion – thoughts from our panel discussion Many are still struggling to assess what caused Carillion’s spectacular demise, and how it could be prevented in future. It was with this in mind that on Wednesday 4th July the WCPP hosted an expert panel to discuss the lessons to be learnt in Wales from Carillion’s collapse and consider the future of outsourcing in […] Read more Topics: Economy July 26, 2018
Reports Evidence for Good Charities are becoming increasingly sophisticated about how they gather evidence of impact, and there are many great guides and tools out there to help them do so. But there are other ways that the third sector can use evidence to increase its effectiveness and amplify its voice. In this report, published with the Alliance for Useful […] Read more Topics: Local government July 23, 2018
Reports The Welsh Tax Base: Risks and Opportunities after Fiscal Devolution Under the new Fiscal Framework and devolution of some tax powers, from April 2019, the Welsh Government and local authorities will control nearly £5 billion of tax revenues, equivalent to roughly 30 per cent of their combined current spending. In this report we have worked with the Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University to examine […] Read more Topics: Economy Local government July 2, 2018
News Research and Impact Blueprint for Welsh policy commissions supplied by new expert report A new report by the Wales Centre for Public Policy brings together evidence and expert perspectives to set out a best practice approach for future policy commissions. ‘Commissions and their role in public policy’ analyses how to get the foundations of a commission right, the different approaches to gathering evidence, and managing the politics to […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods and approaches June 21, 2018
Reports Commissions and their Role in Public Policy The report analyses how to get the foundations of a commission right, the different approaches to gathering evidence, and managing the politics to ensure the best possible policy impact. It draws on both the insights of previous commission leaders, gathered in a private roundtable discussion, and relevant academic research. It was compiled to inform the current […] Read more Topics: Local government June 21, 2018
Blog Posts Research and Impact Evidence-informed policymaking: does knowledge brokering work? Sarah Quarmby takes a look inside the Wales Centre for Public Policy to see how its day-to-day workings tally with the body of knowledge about evidence use in policymaking. This article originally appeared on the LSE British Politics and Policy blog. There’s widespread and sustained interest in the role of evidence in policymaking. But because policymaking […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods and approaches The role of KBOs June 18, 2018
Projects Evidence for Welsh Public Service Leaders on Public Procurement Mobilising the power of procurement is a growing area of interest. The Welsh public sector spends approximately £6 billion annually on goods, services and works, however it is widely believed that there is room for public services to achieve greater added value from this spend through strategic approaches to procurement. This has been a recurrent […] Read more Topics: Local government June 7, 2018
News Research and Impact WCPP clinches Impact on Policy Award The work of the predecessor to the Wales Centre for Public Policy in championing collaboration between academics and the Welsh Government has been awarded a Cardiff University innovation award. The partnership between what was the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) and the Welsh Government has won the Impact on Policy Award at Cardiff University’s […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact The role of KBOs June 1, 2018
News Research and Impact New Welsh Government work programme announced The Wales Centre for Public Policy has announced the latest wave of its programme of work for the Welsh Government. The new assignments are: Behavioural change and household recycling Strategies and technologies in improving air quality What works in supplementing the teaching of second languages? Maximising the civic contribution of universities and wider tertiary education […] Read more Research and Impact: Impact Methods and approaches May 23, 2018
Blog Posts Research and Impact Strengthening the Links Between Academic Research and the National Assembly for Wales It is widely accepted that academic research has an important role to play in policy formation and scrutiny, but there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ way of making this happen. The National Assembly for Wales (aka the Welsh Assembly) is involved with some exciting initiatives to make sure that evidence gets to the politicians who need it […] Read more Research and Impact: Methods and approaches The role of KBOs May 16, 2018
Projects Improving Impact Assessments The cynic’s caricature of impact assessments is that they are post hoc rationalisations of policy decisions that have already been made. But where they are used effectively, they can help to inform and shape policy, and to support effective scrutiny of the decisions made in that process. We were asked by the First Minister to […] Read more Topics: Local government April 26, 2018
Projects Determining the Tax Base in Wales WCPP was asked by the Chief Economist and Treasury officials in the Welsh Government, on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, to undertake a high-level review of the strength of the Welsh tax base. The review analysed the scale and the sustainability of the tax base supporting the major devolved revenue-raising […] Read more Topics: Economy April 26, 2018
Projects Improving Cross-cutting Government Working The Welsh Government’s national strategy “Prosperity for All” seeks to “drive integration and collaboration across the Welsh Public Sector”, and First Minister Carwyn Jones has emphasised that the strategy’s commitments should be delivered in a “smarter, more joined up way that cuts across traditional boundaries.” The challenge to improve coordination across policy areas and public […] Read more Topics: Local government April 26, 2018
Blog Posts Brexit, Immigration and Wales: Professor Jonathan Portes Vlog Professor Jonathan Portes (King's College London) discusses the implications that Brexit will have on immigration, and what this will mean for Wales. This video was recorded for our event - "What about Wales? The Implications of Brexit for Wales", which took place in London on Tuesday 20th March, 2018. Read more Topics: Diversity and inclusion Economy March 21, 2018
Reports Sub-national Government Involvement in International Trade Negotiations This report sets out the findings from a rapid evidence review of sub-national government involvement in international trade negotiations. The UK Government’s trade negotiations with the EU will have important implications for Wales. It is however unclear whether, and how, the Welsh Government and Welsh Assembly will secure a meaningful voice in the discussions. Sub-national […] Read more Topics: Economy February 2, 2018
News Future of Work in Wales The greater use of artificial intelligence and robotics is set to dramatically alter the kinds of jobs available in Wales within the next 20 years. The Future of Work in Wales report suggests that new technology may improve productivity and release workers from repetitive or hazardous tasks but could also see large numbers of existing […] Read more Topics: Economy November 1, 2017
Reports Regional Cooperation and Shared Services – Reflections from ‘Wales Down Under’ This report from the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) reviews the existing evidence on shared services. Alongside that report, we commissioned Professor Graham Sansom (University of Technology Sydney) to summarise experiences of regional collaboration in Australia. Like Wales, Australia has experienced intense debates about the ‘right’ approach to structural reform of local government. Professor Sansom’s […] Read more Topics: Local government September 13, 2017
Reports Considerations for Designing and Implementing Effective Shared Services This report from the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) brings together existing evidence on shared services in local government. In particular, it outlines why councils choose to share services, what makes shared service arrangements successful, and how central governments can enable and support this. Shared services involve the consolidation and standardisation of common tasks […] Read more Topics: Local government September 5, 2017
Reports Immigration Policy after Brexit This report sets out the likely options being considered by the UK Government in their development of a new immigration policy after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, and what the implications and risks of these approaches might be for Wales’ economy and public services, taking into account current patterns of migration in the Welsh […] Read more Topics: Local government May 19, 2017
Blog Posts Research and Impact Brexit and Wales: Understanding the Reasons Behind the Welsh Vote On Thursday 30th March, 2017, the PPIW and Knowledge and Analytical Services welcomed colleagues to an evidence symposium which aimed to understand the reasons behind the Welsh vote in 2016's referendum on EU membership. The event featured expert speakers from UK universities and research centres, providing a mix of short presentations with a broader discussion with […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Methods and approaches April 6, 2017
Blog Posts Research and Impact How Wales is Understood in the UK is a Problem It was recently announced that a new BBC TV channel will broadcast in Scotland from 2018. It will have a budget of £30m, roughly equivalent to that of BBC Four. Alongside that, Scotland will receive more money to make UK-wide programmes. Perhaps the most interesting development is that, included in the new channel’s scheduling is an hour-long […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods and approaches March 23, 2017
Reports Evidence Summary on EU Migration in Wales The First Minister asked the Public Policy Institute for Wales to provide analytical support to the European Advisory Group (EAG). The Institute’s work complemented analyses conducted by Welsh Government officials and others. This report draws together existing evidence on four issues: the scale of EU migration to Wales; EU migration from Wales; the demographics and […] Read more Topics: Economy Local government November 19, 2016
Reports Improving Public Services The Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) brought together an invited group of leading public management experts and Welsh Government officials to explore the existing evidence about public service improvement and identify future evidence needs to support incoming Ministers. Workshop participants included senior academics and representatives from Y Lab, the Early Intervention Foundation, What Works […] Read more Topics: Local government November 14, 2016
Blog Posts Research and Impact What will Brexit mean for Wales? On 23 June, the UK voted to leave the European Union. The process for leaving and the implications for Wales are uncertain, but broadly speaking there are three forms that Brexit could take: Soft Brexit: Retain membership of the single market through the European Economic Area (EEA). The closest type of relationship the UK could have with […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Impact July 28, 2016
Reports Improving Impact Assessments The First Minister asked the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) to provide advice on improving the Welsh Government’s Impact Assessment (IA) processes. IAs were highlighted by officials as being in need of improvement as part of the Permanent Secretary’s ‘Reducing Complexity’ Programme. Internal work made progress, but pointed to deeper issues that needed to […] Read more Topics: Local government April 1, 2016
Reports Maximising the Economic Benefits of the Welsh Government’s Investment in Cardiff and St. Athan Airports This report by the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) examines the ways to maximise the economic impact of the Welsh Governments investment in Cardiff and St Athan airports. Importantly this request was to explore how to maximise the economic impact outside of the airports and not simply focus on the airports themselves. We worked […] Read more Topics: Economy February 1, 2016
Reports Research and Impact Connection, Coherence and Capacity: Policy Making in Smaller Countries The William Plowden Fellowship supports short research projects looking at issues of governance and public policy. Under its auspices, Tamlyn Rabey, a civil servant at the Welsh Government, has undertaken a study of policy making in smaller countries. The study found that there are significant advantages in relation to policy making from working at the […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods and approaches October 6, 2015
Reports Research and Impact Comparing Council Performance: The Feasibility of Cross-National Comparisons within the UK For this report the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) commissioned experts at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) to assess the feasibility of comparing the performance of Welsh, English and Scottish Councils. Their report identifies a series of indicators that provide a basis for reliable comparisons of expenditure and performance at […] Read more Topics: Local government Research and Impact: Methods and approaches September 10, 2015
Reports Governing for Success: Reviewing the Evidence on Enterprise Zones Enterprise Zones have proved to be an enduring feature of local economic development policy in the United Kingdom. Evidence on the achievements of previous zone policy suggests that it can provide a significant boost to the process of regeneration in local areas. It does this by increasing confidence, enhancing the rate of economic return and […] Read more Topics: Economy February 24, 2015
Reports Research and Impact A Shared Responsibility: Maximising Learning from the Invest to Save Fund This report from the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) concludes that councils, health boards and Welsh Government can work together more closely and need to do more to learn from each other about ways of improving frontline services. The report, A Shared Responsibility, has been written by local government expert Professor James Downe. It […] Read more Topics: Economy Research and Impact: Impact November 24, 2014
Reports How Should the Welsh Government Decide where to Locate its Overseas Offices? Making sure Wales has the right web presence and creating roving teams to promote benefits of locating in Wales are just two recommendations from reports produced by the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW). Led by Professor Max Munday, an expert in inward investment based at Cardiff University’s Business School, the research found that Wales […] Read more Topics: Economy Local government October 29, 2014
