Welcome remarks

by Professor Ngaire Woods

Address

by Professor Paul Collier

Panel discussion: Beyond Economics

Professor Paul suggests that for decades, Britain’s Treasury has been guided by stale economic ideas, and society has paid the price. In this panel, a moral philosopher critiques past policy priorities, and three economists diagnose the Treasury’s challenges and offer a more hopeful pathway forward:

• Professor Michael Sandel, winner of this year’s Berggruen Prize, on contributive justice.
• Andy Haldane on the failings of government policy and the Treasury.
• Professor Sir John Kay on regulation and the failures of Whitehall.
• Professor Sir Tim Besley on a less arrogant economics that aligns within the Human Sciences.

Panel discussion: Applying Economics to People in Communities

Life-chances for young people growing up in England are exceptionally unequal, driven by characteristics that should not matter. In this panel, a social activist confronts current social realities, and three economists expose the post-code lottery: uniquely in Europe, young people’s life-chances depend heavily on the region in which they grow up. It needn’t be like this, and panellists show how it could be done better.

• Professor Hilary Cottam on life within our poorest communities.
• Professor Sonya Kritukova on Britain’s acute regional inequalities and the Economics of Place.
• Professor Dennis Snower on wellbeing and communities of place.
• Professor Colin Mayer on policies to provide regionally based finance for SMEs to drive innovation.

Closing remarks

by Professor Sir Charles Godfray