What does the National School of Government actually do? The question was asked by NSG supremo Rod Clark, who hosted a session on the school this morning at Civil Service Live, of which it is a co-organiser. Clark said the Sunningdale-based school had been looking again at its priorities, and was pleased that both ministers and civil service leaders recently pledged full support to the ongoing existence of the NSG as a government-owned training body. This may have been especially reassuring given the increasing profile of the Michael Bichard-led Institute for Government. Then, in the spirit of any good interactive training session, Clark told the gathered officials to split into groups and brainstorm ideas. On that note, the only non-official - this reporter - fled the scene.