Smarter delivery of public services

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 6 May 2025 Closed: 15 Dec 2025 Parliament page
The day-to-day running costs of public services sit at around £400bn in spending by central government departments. The Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) is the public face of the civil service, and has 250,000 members providing most of these services to customers, from issuing passports and visas to operating courts and … Read more
17 Recommendations
12 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
1 Event
Activity timeline 4 events
19 Jan
2026
Report published
22 Oct
2025
Report published
14 Jul
2025
Oral evidence
14 Jul
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
14 Jul 2025
View on parliament.uk
Julie Taylor · Department for Work and Pensions Paul Morrison · Mitie Care and Custody Sir Peter Schofield KCB · Department for Work and Pensions Tom Greig · Home Office
Title HC No. Published Items Response
48th Report - Smarter delivery of public services HC 889 22 Oct 2025 29 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
29 results
2 Conclusion Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Require Heads of Profession to enable staff for raising ideas and improving services.
There are examples of innovation happening across government but more needs to be done to harness the ideas of the 290,000 members of the ODP for improving service delivery. There are 23 examples of innovation in the NAO’s report, which … Read more
Government Response
The Profession will continue to use existing Heads of Profession forums to discuss and share best practice on driving continuous improvement, building capability, and promoting learning and participation in initiatives. Work is also underway to introduce service standards to enable benchmarking and shared learning across departments.
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3 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Set out plan to encourage innovation and join up delivery between public and private sectors.
The ODP is not doing enough to join up with the wider public sector, including local government, which plays a large part in the delivery of public services, or with the private sector. The ODP’s focus is on the 290,000 … Read more
Government Response
The Profession is actively sharing its professional frameworks, promoting collaboration through events and programmes, and collaborating on initiatives like the new operational delivery apprenticeship with the wider public sector. It is also facilitating public and private sector engagement through partnerships like WIG and GovXchange, and promoting secondment opportunities.
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4 Conclusion Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Monitor effectiveness of ODP strategy in building capabilities for better government services.
There are gaps in core operational delivery capabilities in government organisations which impact on the cost and quality of services it delivers. Operational capability across government is varied and weaknesses have real consequences for citizens. For example, where a department … Read more
Government Response
The Profession will carefully measure the impact of its products and services, developing specific metrics to monitor progress against its strategy. Initial measures will be baselined by September 2026 and continuously monitored throughout the strategy's lifecycle.
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5 Conclusion Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Work with Government Digital Profession to define and include essential digital skills in framework.
It is vital that the ODP keeps pace with advances in new technology and artificial intelligence and the implications for the changing skills its members need. The ODP has created a skills framework, which sets out the skills that staff … Read more
Government Response
The Profession is engaging with the Government Digital and Data Profession and conducting a workforce challenges study to identify future digital and AI skills needs. It committed to regularly updating its Professional Skills Framework, learning curriculum, and senior leadership programmes to reflect these new skills and required learning.
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6 Conclusion Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Conduct analysis of SRRT usage to boost departmental capability for demand variation.
The Surge and Rapid Response Team (SRRT) is a valuable resource but should be there for genuine need and not as a containment for the lack of operational capability needed to deal with demand that should have been predicted or … Read more
Government Response
The Surge and Rapid Response Team (SRRT) already holds detailed data on organisations and regularly collaborates with workforce planners to understand demand needs and help build departments' operational capability. SRRT will continue to work with departments, sharing learning to ensure effective workforce planning and resource use.
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1 Conclusion Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Committee takes evidence on ODP's role in building capabilities for smarter services.
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the UK civil service’s ‘Operational Delivery Profession’ (ODP), and two of its departmental Heads of Profession, on how it is helping departments build the … Read more
Government Response
The Profession committed to raising its profile and promoting operational delivery roles by tracking Fast Stream and apprenticeship applications, targeted marketing, increasing senior talent recruitment from the private sector, and encouraging departmental outreach programmes. It will also focus on regional activity and include metrics in its annual business plan, with the 2025-26 plan shared by August 2026.
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7 Conclusion Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
ODP highlights critical role of operational capability at all levels for public services.
We asked why operational capability is so important for government. The ODP told us about the important roles its members have in serving citizens, such as in jobcentres, the Passport Office and dealing with planning applications. The ODP explained that … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the committee's conclusion, stating that the recommendation is implemented. They highlight ongoing efforts like sponsoring PAS to provide expert support and resources to local planning authorities and regular engagement through the Chief Planner's Newsletter.
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8 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
ODP acknowledges low public profile despite important role and achievements.
We asked about the status and profile of the Profession, observing that it was the first time the Head of ODP had appeared before the Committee in this capacity, and that the ODP seemed to have a very low profile. … Read more
Government Response
The ODP agreed to raise the external profile of operational delivery as a desirable career path, particularly for students, by publishing an annual report and tracking application numbers by September 2026. They also will focus on regional activity, schools outreach, and ensure recruitment packs articulate the Profession’s purpose.
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9 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
ODP agrees to enhance visibility of career opportunities to attract young talent.
We asked about whether better visibility could encourage more young people to join the Profession. The ODP agreed that it should be talking more about the career opportunities that are available, such as through the Operational Delivery Fast Stream programme … Read more
Government Response
The ODP will promote operational delivery roles, track application numbers of the ODP Fast Stream, make recommendations to departments for all ODP role recruitment packs, increase focus on regional activity, and include metrics in the annual business plan to assess the impact of profile-raising activities by September 2026, and the plan will be shared by August 2026.
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10 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
NAO report highlights numerous examples of government innovation despite challenges.
There are 23 examples of innovation in the NAO’s report, which show it is possible for teams working across government to continuously improve and be innovative–even in adverse circumstances where operational delivery is highly challenging.14 Ensuing that everyone can contribute … Read more
Government Response
The ODP will measure take-up of resources used to engage staff in improving services and use existing HoP forums to discuss and share best practice relating to driving continuous improvement activity and building operational delivery capability by September 2026.
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11 Recommendation Acknowledged
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Transformative government changes require innovation, learning from failure, and staff empowerment.
Witnesses told us that the transformative changes needed by government will require both large scale projects and day-to-day incremental improvements involving front-line staff.16 We asked how departments will remove the barriers to innovation by creating a working environment that encourages … Read more
Government Response
The Profession will continue to measure take-up of resources Heads of Profession (HoPs) and other stakeholders use to engage their staff in improving services, and will continue to use existing HoP forums to discuss and share best practice. Work is also underway to introduce service standards that will enable benchmarking, collaboration, and shared learning across departments and agencies.
HM Treasury
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12 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Effective structures are needed for ideas to flow and foster continuous improvement.
The Departmental Head of Profession for the Home Office told us about the need to build structures that allow ideas to flow and give people time outside of their day job. He told us about HM Passport Office’s continuous improvement … Read more
Government Response
The ODP agreed to require all Departmental Heads of Profession to set out how they will ensure that their staff have the time, skills, tools and support to raise ideas, learn from each other, and get involved with improving services by September 2026, while continuing to measure resource take-up and using existing forums to share best practices.
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13 Conclusion Acknowledged
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
ODP membership heavily concentrated in five major central government departments.
The ODP’s focus is on its 290,000 members in the Civil Service. These members work within central government organisations or arm-length bodies within those organisations. Around 80% of ODP members work in just five government departments: the Ministry of Justice, … Read more
Government Response
Acknowledges the composition of the ODP membership and states its strategy aims to continue expanding learning for all members across all civil service grades.
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14 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Whole-system approach with private and local government partners vital for service delivery.
We asked about the importance of taking a whole system approach to service delivery. The Departmental Head of Profession for the Home Office described how his organisation has to work closely with four private sector partners to ensure the end-to-end … Read more
Government Response
The ODP agreed to encourage innovation and join up delivery between central and local government and the private sector. This will include placing members in local government roles, using capability development and learning offers, providing career paths, sharing learning, facilitating two-way secondment opportunities and knowledge sharing.
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15 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Significant challenges hinder ODP collaboration with local government due to differing models.
We asked several questions which explored how the ODP works with local government, given that local authority staff are not its members. The Departmental Head of Profession for the Home Office described some of the challenges created by the very … Read more
Government Response
The ODP agreed to encourage innovation and join up delivery between central and local government and the private sector. This will include placing members in local government roles, using capability development and learning offers, providing career paths, sharing learning, facilitating two-way secondment opportunities and knowledge sharing.
HM Treasury
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16 Recommendation Acknowledged
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
ODP must broaden capability building and career opportunities to local government.
The ODP also told us how it had invited two senior leaders from mayoral authorities to join the latest cohort of ODP Excel, a learning programme to improve participants readiness for senior operational delivery role, and attend its training events.25 … Read more
Government Response
The Profession agrees with the Committee’s recommendation and is actively working with the wider public sector by sharing relevant elements of the profession offer, and has explored and identified opportunities to increase public and private sector engagement, by working with the Whitehall and Industry Group (WIG) and departments will be encouraged to engage in programmes such as GovXchange.
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17 Recommendation Acknowledged
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
ODP recognises opportunities for learning and interplay with the private sector.
We asked about how well connected ODP was to the private sector. The ODP told us that there were opportunities to learn from the private sector about how to innovate in the delivery of public services, and said its Senior … Read more
Government Response
The Profession agrees with the Committee’s recommendation and is actively working with the wider public sector by sharing relevant elements of the profession offer, and has explored and identified opportunities to increase public and private sector engagement, by working with the Whitehall and Industry Group (WIG) and departments will be encouraged to engage in programmes such as GovXchange.
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18 Conclusion
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Inadequate and varied operational capability across government negatively impacts citizens.
Operational capability across government is varied and often lacking in what matters most.32 Weaknesses in operational capability can have real consequences for citizens. For example, where a department lacks the capability to understand and deal with demand, the result is … Read more
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19 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
ODP strategy outlines interventions to improve government capability and service delivery.
The ODP acknowledged that improving capability across government is crucial to delivering better services.36 Its approach to doing so, as set out in its strategy for 2025–28, includes interventions such as a professional skills framework for generic operational capabilities, apprenticeship … Read more
Government Response
The Profession agrees and will monitor the impact of its strategy, using the ODP Professional Skills Framework (PSF) and working with departments to identify measures to reflect the impact and effectiveness of profession deliverables, including cost avoidance and the development of common methodologies to measure operational delivery outcomes. Target implementation date: September 2026
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20 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
ODP lacks robust metrics to link capability interventions with service outcomes.
We asked how the ODP will know if this approach has been successful. The ODP told us that while it believed that investing in capability would deliver better customer service, and that customer satisfaction is a good measure, demonstrating causality … Read more
Government Response
The ODP will carefully measure the impact of all ODP products and services, work with cross-government partners and consider academic sources in identifying measures, consider a range of measures and indicators including cost avoidance, and develop common methodologies to measure operational delivery outcomes by September 2026.
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21 Conclusion Not Addressed
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Operational Delivery Profession demonstrates progress in building data capabilities and monitoring tools.
We heard about the ODP’s progress in building its data expertise, gathering baseline data and creating data dashboards for particular programmes. The ODP also described how a new maturity matrix will help it measure the influence it is having within … Read more
Government Response
The ODP will carefully measure the impact of all ODP products and services, work with cross-government partners and consider academic sources in identifying measures, consider a range of measures and indicators including cost avoidance, and develop common methodologies to measure operational delivery outcomes by September 2026.
HM Treasury
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22 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Operational Delivery Profession's skills framework requires updating for evolving digital and AI capabilities.
The ODP has created a professional skills framework, which sets out the sorts of skills that staff need at different stages of their careers.40 It feels that this framework will be critical to the success of its strategy.41 However, the … Read more
Government Response
The ODP will partner with the Government Digital and Data Profession and other stakeholders to understand and impact emerging technologies, use the research to identify future skills needs, and regularly update the Professional Skills Framework by December 2026.
HM Treasury
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23 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Public sector AI adoption for service improvement remains nascent, hampered by significant skills shortfalls.
Improved digital capability can lead to reduced costs and better services for users. For example, automating straightforward types of demand can increase efficiency, and also enable operational delivery staff to spend more time dealing with customers with more complex needs, … Read more
Government Response
The Profession agrees and will partner with stakeholders to understand emerging technologies, explore future skills needs, and regularly update the Professional Skills Framework, learning curriculum, and senior leadership programmes to reflect new skills and encourage cross-government and AI initiatives.
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24 Recommendation Deferred
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Government departments demonstrate diverse uses of artificial intelligence to improve services and proactively identify risks.
We asked about the scope for government to make greater use of artificial intelligence to improve services. The ODP told us that there were numerous examples of individual departments using artificial intelligence in different ways. It told us about a … Read more
Government Response
The Profession agrees with the Committee’s recommendation to define the digital skills that ODP professionals require and include them in the new skills framework, with a target implementation date of December 2026, partnering with key stakeholders to understand emerging technologies and identifying future skills needs.
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25 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
ODP collaborates with GDS to integrate operational and digital capabilities for service delivery.
Witnesses described the importance of bringing together operational and digital capabilities–for example, by doing work to make a process efficient before bringing in digital tools, such as AI.47 The ODP also described how it was working with the Government Digital … Read more
Government Response
The ODP agreed to work with the Government Digital and Data Profession to define the digital skills that ODP professionals require, and include them in the new skills framework by December 2026. They will also partner with key stakeholders and regularly update the Professional Skills Framework.
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26 Conclusion Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Government services require resilience for demand fluctuations, supported by ODP's Surge and Rapid Response Team.
Government needs to know that its services can adapt to peaks and troughs in demand and still meet user expectations. It is important to have the resilience to meet expected variations in demand as well as to respond to unexpected … Read more
Government Response
The SRRT holds detailed data and collaborates with workforce planners, ranks requests for SRRT support, and works with departments to share learning to ensure effective workforce planning.
HM Treasury
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27 Conclusion Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Departments utilise Surge and Rapid Response Team for seasonal demand peaks and emerging crisis responses.
We asked about how departments were making use of the SRRT. The ODP explained how the SRRT helps to deal with seasonal peaks in demand, such as Winter Fuel payments, as well as with emerging crises, such as the collapse … Read more
Government Response
The SRRT holds detailed data and collaborates with workforce planners, ranks requests for SRRT support, and works with departments to share learning to ensure effective workforce planning.
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28 Recommendation Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Surge and Rapid Response Team provides immediate, high-quality, and flexible staffing solutions for departments.
We were told by the Departmental Head of Profession for the Home Office that a benefit of using the SRRT is that its staff can start straight away–for example, they are already security cleared, and can move around the world … Read more
Government Response
The SRRT holds detailed data and collaborates with workforce planners, ranks requests for SRRT support, and works with departments to share learning to ensure effective workforce planning.
HM Treasury
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29 Conclusion Accepted
48th Report - Smarter delivery of …
Departments should prioritise internal agility and automation for demand management, with SRRT as a last resort.
The ODP told us that the seasonality in demand in some departments meant that they would be repeatedly using SRRT.56 We asked about whether departments were in fact using SRRT as a “get-out” clause, building it into their capability plans, … Read more
Government Response
The SRRT holds detailed data and collaborates with workforce planners, ranks requests for SRRT support, and works with departments to share learning to ensure effective workforce planning.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 28 of 17 classified
Accepted 22
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 1
Total 17 recs + 12 conclusions