MPs launch new inquiry into inner workings of public bodies

• Inquiry: Public Bodies
• Submit evidence
• Cabinet Office’s guidance
• Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee

In the past, governments have seen the need for certain functions to be performed outside of ministerial departments which has led to the creation of Public Bodies. The rules which govern when these are set up and closed down, as well as how their lines of authority are drawn and when ministers can intervene are all likely to be under the microscope as part of the inquiry. 

The Committee will examine the governance and transparency of Public Bodies, and whether the Cabinet Office’s guidance on setting up new ones should be reviewed.  

MPs will explore what oversight the Cabinet Office and other bodies have, and whether that is sufficient for holding bodies to account. Actions taken and the lessons learnt from the previous Government’s Review Programme will also be examined.

Governments have periodically tried to cut the number of Public Bodies; however, they also continue to create new ones. Current plans, such as the creation of a football regulator and GB Energy, will lead to several new public bodies being created over the course of the current Parliament.  

Some eyebrows have been raised by the fact there is no consolidated list of Public Bodies published by the Government, although it is estimated that around 500 exist. These range from huge organisations such as NHS England or the Environment Agency, employing thousands of staff and responsible for spending billions, to small advisory bodies such as the House of Lords Appointment Committee, with only a handful of staff and no significant budget. 

Chair quote

Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Simon Hoare MP, said:  

“In many cases, Public Bodies serve a critical function which cannot adequately be delivered by a government department for a variety of reasons. What this inquiry is seeking to understand is whether the approach of governments to managing the vast, complex network of all public bodies is up to scratch. 

“Public Bodies are often viewed as benign, yet they are responsible for an enormous amount of policy and spending while the most senior decision-makers often remain unknown to the vast majority of the public.    

“While many have argued there is an alarming lack of accountability for the work they do, there are also concerns of mission creep as initially focussed remits end up expanding into other areas. 

“With the Government placing so much emphasis on productivity and cost effectiveness, they really must get this right. If they don’t, they risk disenfranchising more and more of the public who can’t make head nor tail of where the buck stops when it comes to the decisions which impact their lives.” 

Terms of reference  

• The Committee invites written evidence answering any of the following questions:   
• What is the Government's policy on Public Bodies and where in government should it reside?  
• What oversight of the overall landscape of Public Bodies should the Cabinet Office exercise?  
• What have lessons have been learnt from the previous Government's Public Bodies Review Programme and what actions are being taken as a result? 
• Are there adequate governance and transparency requirements set out for all types of Public Bodies and are they applied consistently? 
• Are the three tests applied to whether Public Bodies should continue or new ones be established appropriate? Are they applied consistently? 
• What formal and informal means do ministers have to influence Public Bodies’ work and are these deployed appropriately?  
• Where should ministerial attention best be directed?  
• Is oversight by other bodies such as Parliament sufficient? 

The deadline for submitting evidence is Friday 7 February.

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

Image: House of Commons