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<p>The Evaluation Task Force (ETF) committed to publicly report on a series of output
and outcome indicators in response to recommendations featured in the ‘Evaluating
Government Spending’ NAO report in 2022 and the Public Accounts Committee’s recommendation
for the ETF to establish quantifiable metrics on the scale and quality of evaluation
across government. These indicators of progress can be viewed in the ETF evaluation
strategy published in 2022 here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-evaluation-task-force-strategy-2022-2025"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-evaluation-task-force-strategy-2022-2025</a></p><p><strong>
</strong></p><p>The indicators are not wholly controlled or ‘owned’ by the ETF. Driving
progress towards the targets outlined in the ETF strategy are dependent on cross-government
partners working together to build an improved evaluation ecosystem which creates
more and higher quality evaluation in government.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The
PQ references two indicators:</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>1.4 Proportion of Evaluation
Accelerator Fund projects on track (RAG rated 'Green')</p><p>1.6 Proportion of ETF
priority projects with robust evaluation plans (cumulative)</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The
ETF Output and Outcome Indicators (March 2024) report has also published its Technical
Annex alongside the main report. This details the number of projects rated Red, Amber
and Green across these portfolios and provides a detailed explanation of how these
ratings were assessed. This is summarised in the background section below.</p><p><strong>
</strong></p><p>Departments and What Works Centres who lead either EAF or priority
projects understand they are part of the ETF’s broader portfolio of work and that
although regular indicators of evaluation progress in government are published, there
have been no plans to publish the details of specific projects as part of the reporting.</p><p><strong>
</strong></p><p>The ETF has established good working relationships with departments
who (particularly within the context of EAF and priority projects) are delivering
complex evaluations in high profile policy areas. The departments openly share their
work with the ETF and this transparency has enabled the ETF to provide high quality
advice and support to teams. Using the information provided to the ETF to specifically
publicly name projects, separately from other projects, risks damaging this important
working relationship.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The ETF instead has been working
to ensure transparency on a larger more sustainable scale, for all projects not just
ETF priority areas. The Cabinet Office and the ETF will soon be publicly launching
the Government Evaluation Registry. The Registry will bring together all planned,
live and completed evaluations from Government Departments in a single accessible
location, providing an invaluable tool for understanding “what works” in Government.
Due to the importance of transparency and improving evaluation across Departments,
the Government has decided to make use of the Registry mandatory. As such, Departments
and What Works Centres responsible for EAF funded and priority projects will publish
plans and findings on the Registry in due course. This will then be available to the
public, along with the plans and reports for the rest of the department’s portfolio.</p><p>
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