Re your editorial on Andy Burnham’s conference speech (29 September), the outcome that all governments should seek is a real improvement to people’s lives, particularly for those with the least, and without storing up problems for future generations. But that requires ministers to measure what matters and use that evidence to guide decisions.

The good news for the prime minister and his colleagues is that the Office for National Statistics already collects robust evidence about our lives through its UK Measures of National Well-being Dashboard. Yet there is little suggestion that this sort of data has been driving policy, including tax and spending plans.

If improving lives is the goal, measures of wellbeing should carry real weight in decisions about tax, spending and public services.
Sarah Davidson
Chief executive, Carnegie UK