A Complete and Unabridged Record of Everything Successive Governments Have Pledged to 'Keep Under Review' Since 2010

The following list has been compiled from Hansard transcripts, press releases, Select Committee responses, ministerial correspondence obtained under Freedom of Information requests, and one departmental tweet that has since been deleted. Where the reviewing minister can be identified, they are named. Where they cannot, they are described as 'a minister.' In several cases, the ministry itself no longer exists.

Infrastructure and Transport

Potholes (national) First placed under review: October 2011, by the then Roads Minister. Status: Still under review. A separate review of the review was commissioned in 2018. That review is also under review.

HS2 (general) First placed under review: Continuously, since 2012, by whichever minister was responsible at the time. Status: Still under review, though the precise thing being reviewed has changed several times. The route has been reviewed. The cost has been reviewed. The rationale has been reviewed. The northern leg was reviewed until it was cancelled, at which point the cancellation was placed under review.

HS2 (the bit through the Chilterns) First placed under review: 2013, by a minister who later became a vocal critic of HS2. Status: No longer under review because the section was cancelled. However, the decision to cancel it is under review.

The M25 First placed under review: 2014, following reports that it was congested. Status: Still under review. It remains congested.

Bus services outside London First placed under review: 2012, by a transport minister who lived in London. Status: Still under review. Several buses have been cancelled in the interim. The cancellations are not under review.

Cycling infrastructure First placed under review: 2015, following a review of cycling infrastructure. Status: Still under review. A cycling tsar was appointed. The cycling tsar resigned. The position of cycling tsar is under review.

Health and Social Care

NHS waiting times First placed under review: June 2010, by the incoming Health Secretary. Status: Still under review. Waiting times have, during the review period, grown considerably longer. This development has also been placed under review.

Social care funding First placed under review: 2010, following the publication of a report recommending urgent reform. Status: Still under review. Fourteen further reports have recommended urgent reform. Each has been welcomed and placed under review.

The NHS app First placed under review: 2019, when it did not work properly. Status: Still under review. A different NHS app was launched. It is also under review.

Mental health provision for young people First placed under review: 2013. Status: Still under review. Awareness has increased significantly. Provision has not.

The precise number of NHS managers First placed under review: 2012, when a minister said there were too many. Status: Still under review. The number of managers has increased. So has the number of reviews into the number of managers.

Housing

The housing crisis First placed under review: 2010. Status: Still under review. House prices have increased by approximately 85% during the review period. This has been noted.

Leasehold reform First placed under review: 2017, by a Housing Minister who subsequently moved to a different brief. Status: Technically legislation has passed. The legislation is under review.

Planning reform First placed under review: 2010, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Status: Still under review. Each review has produced a consultation. Each consultation has produced a response. Each response has been placed under review.

The green belt First placed under review: Periodically, by governments who needed to appear to be doing something about housing. Status: Alternately under review and declared permanently inviolable, depending on the electoral calendar.

Education

GCSE and A-level grading First placed under review: 2012. Status: Still under review, though the grades have been changed, changed back, adjusted during a pandemic, adjusted again, and are currently the subject of a review into whether the adjustments were appropriate.

University tuition fees First placed under review: 2010, immediately after they were raised. Status: Still under review. They have since been raised again. That is also under review.

The future of sixth-form colleges First placed under review: 2013, by a minister. Status: Still under review.

School funding in rural areas First placed under review: 2011. Status: Still under review. Several rural schools have closed. The closures are not under review.

The Economy and Taxation

Non-domicile tax status First placed under review: 2012. Status: Was under review for twelve years. Was then abolished. The abolition is under review.

Business rates First placed under review: 2010. Status: Still under review. A formal review was launched in 2016. It reported in 2021. Its recommendations are under review.

The Autumn Statement format First placed under review: 2016, when it was renamed the Autumn Statement after previously being renamed the Autumn Budget after previously being the Autumn Statement. Status: Still under review. It has since been renamed again.

Miscellaneous

The Elgin Marbles First placed under review: Every time Greece asks, which is often. Status: Still under review. Britain remains in possession of the marbles.

The Levelling Up agenda First placed under review: 2021, when it was launched. Status: The agenda itself has been quietly retired. The review of the agenda continues.

The precise location of the government's moral compass First placed under review: 2010. Status: Still under review. No update expected.

This list First placed under review: Upon publication. Status: Still under review. A minister is expected to respond in due course.