Committees

Public Bodies

Inquiry

Governments have created Public Bodies when it is felt that certain functions are best conducted outside the normal departmental structures and at some distance from direct ministerial control. There are currently around 500, though classification can be vague. They vary hugely in terms of their size, governance arrangements, and the types of roles they perform. They are ‘owned’ by their sponsoring department but subject to Cabinet Office and HM Treasury guidance. This states that that they should only be created and continue to operate as a last resort and when:

  • A Public Body is required to perform a highly technical function
  • It is required to perform activities that require political impartiality
  • It needs to act independently to establish facts

However, new ones continue to be created: the Government has launched several in its first months and plans for others have been announced.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was 11:59pm on 7 February 2025.

Upcoming events

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No upcoming events scheduled

Past events

Tuesday 10 March 2026
10:00am Public
Public Bodies - Oral evidence 10 March 2026
10:00am
  • The Rt Hon. the Lord Maude of Horsham
Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Tuesday 6 January 2026
10:00am Public
Public Bodies - Oral evidence 6 January 2026
10:00am
  • Joe Hill (Policy Director at Re:State)
Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Tuesday 4 November 2025
10:00am Public
Public Bodies - Oral evidence 4 November 2025
10:00am
  • Keith Fraser (Chair at Public Chairs’ Forum, and Chair at Youth Justice Board)
  • Ruth Glazzard (Board Member at Public Chairs’ Forum, and Chair at Welsh Revenue Authority)
  • Adrian Smith OBE (Chair at Association of Chief Executives, and Chief Executive at Reclaim Fund Ltd)
  • Elysia McCaffrey (Board Member at Association of Chief Executives, and Chief Executive at Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority)
Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Tuesday 21 October 2025
11:00am Public
Public Bodies - Oral evidence 21 October 2025
11:00am
  • Sian Jones (Director, Value for Money at National Audit Office)
The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House

Contact us

We receive a significant number of emails each day. All requests and invitations are considered but we do not respond directly to everyone. Please be aware, the committee does not look at individual cases or specific complaints.

  • Email: pacac@parliament.uk
  • Address: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA