Independent Reviews

Second report of the independent review of early intervention, setting out how early intervention programmes can be funded within existing resources and by attracting new funding outside government.

Independent review of the structure and management of the Ministry of Defence. Recommended radical decentralisation giving single Services greater autonomy with accountability and reducing the size of Head Office.

Independent review of specialist disability employment programmes recommending a shift from segregated employment toward mainstream employment support with enhanced Access to Work, and closure of Remploy factories with funding redirected to individual support.

Independent review into the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood. Made 14 recommendations for protecting children from inappropriate content and marketing.

Joint DfT and ORR-commissioned study examining the cost structure of the GB rail industry, finding costs 30% higher than comparable European railways and making recommendations to improve value for money for passengers and taxpayers through industry reform and efficiency savings.

Independent review of child protection in England, recommending a fundamental shift away from bureaucratic compliance towards professional judgement and relationships with children and families.

Independent review of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), recommending a slimmed-down framework focused on learning and development, reducing bureaucracy and strengthening the prime areas of learning.

First part of an independent review of police officer and staff pay and conditions, commissioned by the Home Secretary. Published March 2011 with 62 recommendations on allowances, overtime and unsocial hours payments.

Independent review of vocational education for young people aged 14–19 in England, recommending wholesale reform of the qualifications system and how schools and colleges deliver vocational education.

Independent review examining obstacles preventing women from reaching senior positions on FTSE 100 and 350 boards. Recommended a voluntary, business-led approach to achieve 25% female board representation by 2015, with annual progress monitoring.

Independent review of music education in England examining provision and quality in schools. Made 36 recommendations for a new national music education plan including a network of Music Education Hubs.

First report of the independent review of early intervention, making the case for prioritising early intervention programmes to improve life chances of children and reduce long-term costs to government.

Independent review on poverty and life chances, proposing a new set of life chances indicators to measure child poverty and recommending how to prevent poor children becoming poor adults.

First statutory annual independent review of the Work Capability Assessment for Employment and Support Allowance, examining the fairness and effectiveness of the assessment process from initial Jobcentre Plus contact through to tribunal.

Review of health and safety laws and the compensation culture, commissioned by the Prime Minister. Published October 2010 with 36 recommendations to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and restore common sense to health and safety.

Independent review of higher education funding and student finance, recommending the removal of the cap on tuition fees and expansion of the income-contingent loans system to create a more sustainable funding model for universities.

Review examining whether England's wildlife sites formed a coherent ecological network capable of responding to climate change. Made 24 recommendations to make the network bigger, better and more joined up.

Independent inquiry (not statutory) examining care failures at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust between January 2005 and March 2009, making 18 recommendations directed at the Trust and NHS regulators including, critically, a recommendation for a full public inquiry.

Independent review into health inequalities in England, proposing evidence-based strategies for reducing health inequalities post-2010, covering six policy objectives from early child development to fuel poverty.

Review of civil litigation costs examining whether costs rules and procedures enable parties to conduct litigation at proportionate cost, recommending qualified one-way costs shifting, fixed recoverable costs and case management reforms.

Independent review of social work in England proposing a comprehensive reform programme for social work education, training, career development and professional standards, leading directly to the creation of the College of Social Work and the Professional Capabilities Framework.

Review of corporate governance in UK banks and financial entities examining board effectiveness, risk oversight, remuneration and shareholder engagement in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, with recommendations to strengthen governance standards.

Independent review of the primary curriculum recommending a revised framework with six areas of learning, stronger emphasis on personal development and wellbeing, more time for literacy and numeracy and clearer cross-curricular connections.

FSA review of the global banking crisis examining the causes of the 2008 financial crisis and recommending fundamental changes to financial regulation, including higher capital requirements, improved liquidity standards and more intensive supervision.

Progress report commissioned following the death of Peter Connelly (Baby P) in Haringey, assessing implementation of recommendations from Laming's 2003 Victoria Climbié inquiry and making 58 recommendations for strengthening child protection across local authorities, health services and police.