Alun Evans
Director of the Scotland Office
What were your biggest policy and delivery challenges in 2013, and how did you handle them?
The biggest policy challenge in Scotland in 2013 was also one of the biggest for the UK as a whole: the question of whether or not we should stay in the UK. This year the UK government has set out a huge number of facts and information as part of its input into that debate. This is the product of a great deal of cross-departmental work across Whitehall.
We began publishing the Scotland Analysis papers in February of this year, and have covered issues as diverse as the legal framework of the UK, macro economy and defence. There are plenty more papers to come, and we are working closely with Nick Macpherson and his team at the Treasury (see p36), as well as colleagues from across Whitehall, to deliver the programme.
We have had to design new ways of working within the civil service to deliver this project; organising resources flexibly, and putting them where they are needed. It has been a very successful process and has shown off the adaptation and resourcefulness of the civil service at its best. The Scotland Office – less than 60 strong between its Edinburgh and London offices – has played a key role in both delivery and expertise. We also got a new secretary of state in the recent reshuffle, and so were unique in Whitehall in having had to respond to a change of cabinet minister in October.
Where have you made the most progress in implementing the Civil Service Reform Plan, and what are your reform priorities for 2014?
The Civil Service Reform Plan has thrown down the gauntlet in terms of making sure the taxpayer gets the most efficient, modern and well-organised civil service possible. I think the Scotland Office has been a great example of how to approach the issue. We have a small team which has built up a huge bank of understanding of Scottish issues, both relating to the referendum and elsewhere. We advise on these issues across government, as well as making sure the devolved settlement is working as well as possible. We have a core set of skills which can be brought to bear on any issue of relevance, whether dealing with industrial issues such as we recently saw at the Grangemouth refinery or the Govan shipyards, or advising ministers and officials in other departments on the issues of the day.
What are your key challenges in the last full year of the Parliament, and how will you tackle them?
We have a significant deadline to face in the last full year of the Parliament. On 18 September 2014, the people of Scotland will vote in the independence referendum. That choice has the potential to change both Scotland and the rest of the UK forever. It is a critical choice. Our aim is that people can make that choice based on objective evidence about Scotland’s place in the UK. We’ll tackle that by making the information as accessible and relevant as possible, and making sure everyone across the country knows the pros and cons of their choice.
What would you most like Santa to bring you this year? And what should he take away?
I have once again signed up for the London Marathon next year, so my Christmas wish list should probably include an extra pair of lungs and lots of willpower to stick to my training regime. And Santa could definitely take away the temptation to go to the pub instead, especially on the dark winter evenings.