Government actions can have a major impact on economic growth - locally, nationally and internationally. For example, government can make it easier to access finance, resources and innovation; it can improve workforce skills and competition; create infrastructure and make tax, regulatory regimes and planning systems easier. Growth also depends on many non-government factors, including changing technology and new international markets.
As the factors driving growth are so complex, it's hard to share lessons - as no two situations are the same. However, there are lessons to help government support growth. Growth programmes often need to be coordinated across government. They require careful planning and balancing between the long-term nature of growth and the shorter-term nature of policy decision-making - see also Managing major projects and Environmental sustainability. Although it will always be hard to assess how much growth has been affected by any one action, there are examples of good practice evaluation - which can then be used to plan future activities.
This report examines Department for International Trade (DIT) and UK Export Finance (UKEF) progress and performance in supporting UK exports.
This report examines whether the British Business Bank is improving access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises.
This report examines the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy’s management of its business support schemes.
This report examines MHCLG’s addressing of recommendations relating to the governance, transparency and value for money of Local Enterprise Partnerships.
DCLG has made good progress in its design of 100% local business rates retention but faces a challenging timescale for delivery.
This publication presents the results of our census of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). The census was conducted as part of our report Local Enterprise Partnerships, published in March 2016.
The Department for Education should set out the planned overall impact of the programme on productivity and growth.
The approach to reducing the cost of regulation is set up to ensure that government can hit a £10bn target but misses the point by not truly reducing costs on businesses.
Devolution deals to devolve power from central government to local areas in England offer opportunities to stimulate economic growth and reform public services for local users, but the arrangements are untested and government could do more to provide confidence that these deals will achieve the benefits intended
The role and remit of Local Enterprise Partnerships has grown since 2010, but the approach taken by DCLG to overseeing Growth Deals risks future value for money.
