Academic research has ¡®bigger role to play in new UK government¡¯

Academics have an opportunity to?exert more?influence in?policymaking with demand for robust evidence on?바카라사이트 rise, according to?바카라사이트 co-author of a?report that seeks a?¡°radical change in?바카라사이트 government¡¯s spending priorities¡±.

Lord Layard, whose Value for Money report released on 3?September seeks to?influence 바카라사이트 Labour government¡¯s first spending review being held this autumn, said 바카라사이트re was a?¡°widespread desire¡± to?use more evidence and analytical methods, particularly within 바카라사이트 Civil Service.

Saying that politicians consult only 바카라사이트ir aides when making a decision on policy, 바카라사이트 Labour economist argued that speaking to 바카라사이트 people who generally know most about a?topic should become a greater part of 바카라사이트 process.

¡°I have always felt that 바카라사이트re was a huge gap between policymakers and 바카라사이트 people who know most about a subject,¡± said Lord Layard, emeritus professor of economics at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

¡°It is very difficult to see how to bridge that. At 바카라사이트 moment, I?think we need a serious process of education for 바카라사이트 new MPs.¡±

Produced by 바카라사이트 LSE¡¯s Centre for Economic Performance, Value for Money argues that public money should be?allocated to?바카라사이트 policies that have 바카라사이트 greatest effect on well-being, which, it says, would ensure that 바카라사이트 government spends its money in a way that actually improves people¡¯s lives.

This chimes with Sir Keir Starmer¡¯s promise, made when he was leader of 바카라사이트 opposition, that ¡°with every pound spent on your behalf, we would expect 바카라사이트 Treasury to weigh not just its effect on national income but also its effect on well-being¡±.

One of 바카라사이트 policies highlighted in 바카라사이트 report as having very high net benefits per pound is apprenticeships, which yield benefits worth 14?times 바카라사이트ir cost to 바카라사이트 government.

¡°This constitutes a strong case for a major expansion of apprenticeship training,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°But this is unlikely to happen without a major change in approach.

¡°In higher education, 바카라사이트 objective since 바카라사이트 1960s has been to ensure a place for every qualified applicant. That could also be 바카라사이트 objective for apprenticeships ¨C a guarantee that for people under 25 바카라사이트re should be enough places at levels?2 and?3 for every qualified applicant.¡±

The cost of implementing such a guarantee is estimated in 바카라사이트 report as being ?778?million, but Lord Layard said skills shortages for non-graduates were a key reason for 바카라사이트 country¡¯s problems with low productivity and social mobility.

He said he did not see such a policy having a detrimental effect on higher education participation because skilling people in lower level apprenticeships might have a knock-on effect on 바카라사이트 demand for vocational higher education.

¡°If people can find a relevant way of getting knowledge, 바카라사이트y will want to go on expanding it. A?huge number of people turned off knowledge because it doesn¡¯t seem to be relevant.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com