Institute of Regulation's Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

The latest edition of The Regulation Podcast focuses on the concept of regulatory capture - what it is and how regulators can avoid getting caught - hearing the expert views of Dr Eva Heims of York University and Dr Justin Rex of Bowling Green University USA, drawing on case studies in their academic publications.

A short guide to regulatory capture from Dr Heims is here: ‘Regulatory-capture-A-short-guide-for-practitioners.pdf’ She will also be contributing to our online workshop on regulatory capture, Thursday 05 December 2024.

The latest Regulation Podcast focuses on AI and how regulators should respond to it. Two global experts, Prof. Julia Black of the LSE and Joey Conway of Deloitte, discuss what AI is, the problems and opportunities it brings, and how regulators should meet its challenges. The main recommendation to regulators is to learn more; and then to work with others. AI crosses sectors and national boundaries. Regulators must too. The Institute of Regulation is in contact with the UK's Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum and others to explore these issues, and hosting events in the autumn for all our members to foster wider collaboration within the UK regulatory community on AI issues. In the meantime, you can listen to the podcast here.

In Episode 4, we are joined by Grant Pink, Managing Director at RECAP Consultants, and Author of the well-thumbed book “Navigating Regulatory Language: An A to Z Guide”, as he discusses:

• What's the point of regulation?
•  The difference between regulation, compliance and enforcement
• "The Language of Regulation"

In Episode 5, we are joined by Geoff Mulgan, Professor of Collective Intelligence, Public Policy and Social Innovation at University College London who has been advising and driving public policy and strategy for the last 30 years. Listen in, as Geoff explores:

•  Has effective regulation has helped deliver better social outcomes in the UK?
•  How can better regulation help to create a world in which people thrive and where we improve our democracy, welfare, neighbourhoods or education?
•  Post Brexit, what are the biggest regulatory challenges facing the UK?
•  The role of ‘anticipatory regulation’ in helping regulators and government identify, build and test solutions to emerging challenges

In Episode 6, we are joined by Jonathan Morgan, Consultant at Saxon Bampfylde. Having been a guiding mind behind some of the biggest regulation leadership appointments over the last few years, Jonathan helps explain some of the secrets that make great leaders in the sector and gives advice on how to go about developing a career in regulation

Jonathan discusses:

• Attracting the brightest, smartest young professionals to regulation
• Tips to finding a top regulatory job 
• How careers in regulation have changed over the last 10 years or so
• Why increased public scrutiny of regulation can make it tougher to attract the best candidates  
• What key character traits lead people towards careers in the Regulation sector

In this latest podcast we focus on “Regulation in public life – what make it work” and explore the way effective regulation can improve the democratic process and underpin the public’s confidence in decision makers.

Our guest is Kathryn Stone OBE, chair of the Bar Standards Board and former Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. In her career Kathryn has moved from one high profile role in regulation to another so it is well placed to offer her view on the sector.

Before taking up her new role at the Bar Standards Board in August Kathryn was Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, a post that she held since January 2018. Before that she was Chief Legal Ombudsman for England and Wales from 2016 and served as a Commissioner with the Independent Police Complaints Commission and at the Commission for Victims and Survivors in Northern Ireland.

In the podcast Kathryn discusses a range of issues including:

• The challenge of regulating high profile individuals and institutions;
• From MPs to barristers - speaking truth to power;
• The character traits of a successful regulator;
• The role of the Institute of Regulation to drive professional standards;
• What drives her to regulate;
• Advise to anyone thinking of a career in regulation.

In this month’s podcast we focus on professional regulation and explore “Why do we need regulation of professionals”.

During this episode we are joined by guest speakers Alan Clamp, Chief Executive Officer of the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, and Alan Kershaw, Chair of the Architects Registration Board.

Topics covered in the podcast include:

• why is the regulation of professionals necessary?
• what makes regulating professionals different from regulating organisations?
• what are the current challenges facing the regulation of professional today
• how can the IOR help the world of regulation?
• how can good regulation drive better outcomes for the public
• advice for existing regulators or anyone keen to get in the world of regulating professions

In this podcast we talk about striking the balance between “Regulation to protect; regulation to improve” and explore the ways that effective regulation can work to not only improve the world around us but also to protect the public from harm and ensure that the services we rely on are actually up to scratch. 

To guide us through this complex subject, my guest today is Dame Glenys Stacey, Chair, the Office for Environmental Protection. In her career Dame Glenys has held a number of CEO and regulatory positions and led many public-sector organisations.  She has been responsible for high profile legal or regulatory services that have worked both to protect the public and improve services – most recently with leading regulation roles in Education and the Probation Service.

Dame Glenys' career has included many high profile roles in regulation such as Chief Regulator at Ofqual from 2012 to 2016 then again briefly in 2020 during the pandemic exams crisis, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation for England and Wales from 2016 to 2019, Chief Executive at Animal Health, chair of the Professional Standards Authority and of course she now lead the Office for Environmental Protection. 

Clearly given the recent discussion surrounding the role of Ofsted in schools following the tragic suicide of a headteacher, Dame Glenys’ view on the way regulation and inspection should work to protect and improve public services is of great interest.

In this month's podcast we are joined by Dr Russell Richardson, General Counsel and Company Secretary of the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA).

The NSTA is the body that regulates and influences the oil, gas and carbon storage industries. Russell is also leading the Institute of Regulation’s new Special Interest Group on Enforcement.

The podcast focuses on enforcement and its role as a key lever for change in the regulation toolkit.

It is a complex and challenging area but this podcast should help regulators learn a bit more about how they might approach enforcement. Th conversation also touches on when and what penalties might be applicable to encourage desired behaviour and discusses what other types of incentive or action might be preferred.

Bim Afolami MP, chair of the Regulatory Reform Group, Conservative MP for Hitchin and Harpenden

In this podcast we explore the findings of a recent report by the Regulatory Reform Group, “The Purpose of Regulation".
The Regulatory Reform Group is a group of Conservative MPs have come together specifically, as they put it “to help shape a regulatory system which, following Brexit,” they say, “needs to have democratic accountability at its heart.”
The report asserts that lack of focus on outcomes means there is, in reality, “little to no democratic oversight of the systems controlling vast amounts public expenditure each year.
In a post Brexit Britain, it adds, consumer outcomes must be at the centre of "a new systematic approach to all regulatory activity", if the UK economy is to benefit from its new life outside the EU.
Much to discuss and, as usual, to give listeners a new perspective on the priorities and challenges faced by regulators and a clearer understanding of how the Institute of Regulation can help drive positive change.