7 Accepted

The Cabinet Office has yet to put in place a strategy for 2021 onwards.

Recommendation
The Cabinet Office has yet to put in place a strategy for 2021 onwards. It told us that a realistic reform programme is extremely important in ensuring accountability, performance, and the proper use of all public funds, but implementation of the new strategy has been delayed because of resourcing pressures as a result of EU Exit and the Covid-19 pandemic.11 The Cabinet Office made further commitments in the Declaration of Government Reform to reduce the number of ALBs that exist, and to introduce a more stringent process for the creation of new ALBs. It also committed to providing common support to ALBs to reduce inefficiencies.12 Business case review
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation and commits to writing to the Committee by January 2022 with updates on the Public Bodies Reform Programme, implementation of Action 24, lessons learned from reviews, its emerging Public Bodies Strategy, efficiency considerations, and adherence to guidance.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: January 2022 The government will write to the Committee by January 2022 as requested. This will include: • an update on the HM Treasury and Cabinet Office Public Bodies Reform Programme; • how the government will deliver Action 24 of the Declaration on Government Reform which committed it to a new series of public body reviews and to enhance department sponsorship; • how the new series of reviews will be informed by lessons learned from previous public body reviews; 12 • an update on our emerging work on a Public Bodies Strategy; • how the government is considering the efficiency of public bodies; and • how the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury will ensure adherence to existing and proposed guidance.
Source
Committee Public Accounts Committee
Inquiry Government’s delivery through arm’s-length bodies
Report Eighteenth Report - Government’s delivery through arm’s-length bodies 24 Sep 2021 HC 181
View on Parliament website
Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age 4.8 yrs
Report published 24 Sep 2021