UK OGN Inquiry Submission on Mission Government published
New submission explores how open government principles can strengthen the UK’s mission-driven approach to governance
The UK Open Government Network (UK OGN) has submitted written evidence to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee’s inquiry into Mission Government, calling for greater integration between open government practices and the UK’s emerging mission-driven governance approach.
Key Findings and Recommendations
The submission (available here) argues that while mission government and open government have evolved from different traditions, their integration offers a powerful framework for 21st-century governance. The evidence highlights that missions require trust to succeed, and open government fosters that trust through transparency, accountability, and participatory governance.
Critical gaps identified include:
- Lack of empowered cross-departmental governance structures
- No statutory basis for mission outcomes
- Minimal public oversight of Mission Boards
- Siloed funding with unclear departmental ownership
International Learning
The submission draws on global examples of successful mission approaches, including:
- European Union’s Horizon Europe programme with its five large-scale missions
- New Zealand’s Wellbeing Budget framework
- Finland’s long-term foresight mechanisms
- Scotland’s National Performance Framework
- Local innovations from Camden Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Practical Solutions Proposed
UK OGN recommends leveraging existing Open Government Partnership (OGP) infrastructure to strengthen mission delivery:
- Using Multi-Stakeholder Forums as ready-made models for mission coordination
- Implementing quarterly public reporting through open dashboards
- Establishing independent oversight mechanisms
- Creating outcome-based, cross-departmental budgeting
- Embedding participatory evaluation methods
What’s Next
The submission calls for a hybrid model combining local innovation, statutory governance, and global best practice to ensure sustained mission delivery, with closer working relationships between government and civil society organisations.