Going Mutual

• Parent bodies: Swindon Primary Care Trust and Swindon Borough Council
• Date of launch: October 2011

In Swindon, where SEQOL is based, the adult social care and community health sectors have worked in collaboration for several years, but the services they each deliver were always controlled by two separate organisations - Swindon Primary Care Trust and Swindon Borough Council - with staff reporting into two employers.

Within the national and local policy context, establishing one organisation that could co-deliver health and social care seemed the best option for the community of Swindon.

Mutual Life

SEQOL- an employee owned Community Interest Company (CIC) - has a social purpose to support people to make the most of their lives. That not only drives everything we do - but also how we do it. SEQOL colleagues have a real sense of pride in the services they deliver and working in partnership with local people and other partners, their direct influence has achieved significant outcomes.

This year’s pre-tax profit of £129,672 on a turnover of £31m, is being reinvested in delivering front-line services. The surplus only reflects part of the financial performance, additional savings achieved through service re-design and new ways of working have enabled the further development of our services and also provided savings back to commissioners for re-allocation.

Our totally integrated health and social care operating model is resulting in significant service outcomes. For example, in 2013/14 84% of people receiving SEQOL’s re-enablement service did not need care services later down the line, compared with a national average of 58%. The average length of stay was just 19.9 days against 42 days nationally. Local people are effectively enabled to regain their independence and demand on statutory services is reduced.

Similar public service mutual case studies

Health

Provide - launched in 2011 Provide delivers community health services across a wide variety of localities, going from strength to strength ever since.

Adult social care

Be Independent - launched in 2014 and a recipient of support from the Mutuals Support Programme, Be Independent delivers day care services for elderly residents in York.

Case studies main page

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Being able to prove your identity online easily, quickly and safely is recognised as a key enabler of internet use by the government and its users. Providers of public services such as national and local governments, major internet companies, online retailers, banks and others have to address business and security issues around identity proofing and username/password fallibility to mitigate the financial and administrative implications of identity fraud and compromise of personal data.

The Identity Assurance Programme is a core element of the digital by default policy pursued by the Government Digital Service within the Cabinet Office. The programme is working on the development of identity assurance schemes in the UK that citizens, business and devices can use online to assert their identity safely and securely, so that they can access and use public services.

Through a standards based approach, contracted and certified private sector organisations (identity providers) enable citizens to use evidence they own as part of the process for validating and verifying their identity.

Once they have proven their identity with an identity provider, the identity provider can authenticate the identity with multiple public services (relying parties) as and when required to by the citizen.

The programme uses a ‘hub’ (technical intersection) that allows identity providers to authenticate identities to relying parties without:

• government centrally storing an individual’s data
• privacy being breached by exchanging unnecessary data
• either transacting party openly sharing user details

Leading UK insurers and Cabinet Office, UK Trade & Investment, Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, and GCHQ agreed this joint statement at a November 2014 summit to:

• highlight the risk to UK business posed by cyber attack
• recognise the role insurers can play in driving improvements in cyber security risk management
• commit industry and government to closer working to develop the UK’s cyber insurance market for this purpose
• support the growth of a cyber insurance market in the UK
• announce the establishment of working groups to focus on key issues and report emerging conclusions back to the Cabinet Office in April 2015

On 5 November, Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office with responsibility for the UK Cyber Security Strategy, co-hosted a summit of CEOs from the UK’s insurance sector in conjunction with Marsh, the insurance broker and risk adviser, to discuss how the sector can help ensure that the UK is one of the safest places to do business in cyberspace.

Today’s event is the first of its kind and marks closer collaboration between government and industry to help promote the growth of the cyber insurance market as a means of improving cyber security risk management. The insurance sector is in a strong position to drive improvements in cyber security risk management. The sector recognises the role it can play in improving good practice by asking the right questions of customers in relation to their cyber breach and operational risk policies.

Cyber threats pose a considerable risk to UK companies and industry is by far the biggest victim of cyber crime. 81% of large businesses and 60% of small businesses suffered a breach in the last year with the average cost of breaches to business nearly doubling since last year (see the 2014 Information Security Breaches Survey).

Minister for Cabinet Office, Francis Maude said:

Protecting the cyber security of UK businesses is an important part of this government’s long-term economic plan – we want the UK to be one of the most secure places in the world to do business. We want to support the growth of a cyber insurance market in the UK so we are very pleased to come together with the UK’s world-renowned insurance sector. Cyber insurance does not replace the need for good cyber security practice but is an added protection for businesses in the event of breaches.

Mark Weil, CEO of Marsh UK & Ireland, said:

As recent network attacks and data breaches have demonstrated, cyber security events can quickly accumulate significant costs, inflict reputational damage, and undermine investor confidence. A massive data breach will invite litigation, generate regulatory fines, and instigate law enforcement investigations. Cyber attacks can even cause physical damage by manipulating control processes. Companies should be assessing their vulnerability to cyber attack and taking advantage of risk management and insurance solutions to mitigate the potential for these events to harm their business.

John Hurrell, CEO of Airmic, the UK association for risk managers and insurance buyers, said:

Cyber risk is an enormous challenge which cuts across a wide range of stakeholders and this initiative correctly recognises the need for a coordinated effort to improve the management of cyber risk in business. Airmic very much welcomes closer engagement between the government and the insurance industry, and believes the insurance industry has a critical role to play in improving awareness and informing the debate. We hope that this will in turn foster closer working relationships between other key players, including between IT and risk functions within organisations.

A dozen of the UK’s leading insurers met with the Minister and Cabinet Office, UK Trade & Investment, Department for Business, Innovation & Skills and GCHQ officials to discuss the issue and agree a joint statement. It:

• highlights the risk to UK business posed by cyber attack
• recognises the role insurers can play in driving improvements in cyber security risk management
• commits industry and government to closer working to develop the UK’s cyber insurance market for this purpose
• supports the growth of a cyber insurance market in the UK
• announces the establishment of working groups to focus on key issues and report emerging conclusions back to the Cabinet Office in April 2015

This latest initiative builds on government’s ongoing partnership with industry under the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP) to ensure that UK businesses have better cyber security protections in place. Guidance such as the 10 steps to cyber security for businesses and the Cyber Essentials scheme provide clear practical advice on what cyber security controls organisations should have in place. Today’s joint statement also recognises that the government and industry supported Cyber Essentials scheme helps businesses protect against the most common cyber threats.

Notes to editors

1) The National Cyber Security Strategy (NCSS), published in November 2011, provided government with a framework and objectives in tackling cyber threats, promoting awareness and providing a growing platform of strong private sector partnership. The strategy is supported by £860 million of funding from the National Cyber Security Programme which has helped put in place new initiatives and structures as part of the government’s response to growing threats in cyberspace.

2) In December 2013, government published the second annual report on progress against the strategy, achievements and spend on the NCSP as well as forward plans.

3) The NCSS has 4 objectives:

• to make the UK one of the most secure places in the world to do business in cyberspace
• to make the UK more resilient to cyber attack and better able to protect our interests in cyberspace
• to help shape an open, vibrant and stable cyberspace that supports open societies
• to build the UK’s cyber security knowledge, skills and capability

The NCSS sets out how the UK will support economic prosperity, protect national security and safeguard the public’s way of life by building a more trusted and resilient digital environment. It makes clear how the investment through the National Cyber Security Programme is being used and which departments are responsible for which actions, and it outlines how the government will take the opportunity to promote growth and minimise the economic impact of cyber attacks by cementing a new partnership with the private sector.

4) The £860 million programme funding provides backing for work to improve the UK’s cyber security capability but government can’t do this alone. Our whole approach hinges on building effective partnerships between government, law enforcement agencies, academia and the private sector. We’re also encouraging organisations within these spheres to work in partnership with each other.

5) The Cyber Essentials scheme was launched on 5 June 2014. This new government-backed and industry supported scheme guides businesses in protecting themselves against the most common cyber threats. Cyber Essentials is free to download and any organisation can use the guidance to implement essential security controls. Organisations successfully independently assessed by a certification body can achieve a Cyber Essentials award to demonstrate that they meet the government endorsed set of basic controls on cyber security.

6) The 10 steps to cyber security was published in 2012 and amalgamates advice from the security services and government departments to provide senior business leaders with guidance on cyber security best practice.

All non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) undergo a substantive review at least once every 3 years. These triennial reviews aim to:

• challenge the continuing need for individual NDPBs, both their function and their form
• review the control and governance arrangements

This updated guidance includes:

• a greater emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness: departments must report on efficiency savings that they have identified through the review
• more use of combined, or clustered, reviews of bodies to make best use of departmental resources
• a stronger role for Cabinet Office working with departments to agree the terms of reference and timelines for reviews

A report must be published at the end of each review: see the latest triennial review reports.

Issue

Rape and sexual violence have been used as a tactic of war in conflicts across the world. Sexual violence is frequently used for political ends, as a means of ethnic cleansing and to terrorise local populations. It destroys lives, fuels conflict, creates refugees, jeopardises ceasefires and undermines the long-term prospects for reconciliation.

Sexual violence is indiscriminate, affecting men and boys as well as women and girls. All too often the victims face a life of shame and stigma, while the perpetrators go free. Only a handful of people have ever been brought to trial. As a result, those who order or carry out rape and sexual violence in conflict expect to get away with it. We are working to end this culture of impunity.

Actions

Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI)

The PSVI campaign is working to:

• address the culture of impunity that exists for crimes of sexual violence in conflict
• increase the number of perpetrators held to account
• ensure better support for survivors

by raising awareness, promoting international co-operation and increasing the political will and capacity of states to do more.

The PSVI campaign was launched in May 2012 by the former UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague and the Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Angelina Jolie.

Action through international organisations

Through its presidency of the Group of Eight (G8) in 2013, the UK worked to achieve greater international attention and commitment to dealing with this issue. On 11 April 2013, G8 Foreign Ministers adopted a historic Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict.

During the UK’s Presidency of the UN Security Council in 2013, the Council adopted resolution 2106 that includes a series of actions to improve the UN response to sexual violence in conflict. This was the first resolution on the subject in three years and was co-sponsored by 46 UN member states.

155 countries have endorsed the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, launched during the 68th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2013. These countries have agreed there should be no peace agreements that give amnesty to people who have ordered or carried out rape. Suspects wanted for war zone rape can now be arrested in any of these countries.

UK team of experts

A UK team of experts is supporting local resources in conflict areas. The team includes doctors, lawyers, police, psychologists, forensic specialists and experts in the care and protection of survivors and witnesses. Members have so far been sent to the Syrian borders, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Libya, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

International protocol on the documentation and investigation of sexual violence in conflict

With help from experts and survivors of sexual violence, the UK government published the International Protocol on the documentation and investigation of sexual violence in conflict. The first of its kind, the Protocol sets out the basic principles of documenting sexual violence as a crime under international law, gleaned from best practice in the field. The Protocol is not binding on states.

Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict

The UK hosted the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in June 2014. The summit was attended by over 120 countries and more than 900 delegates, including many from conflict affected countries. The summit agreed practical steps to end impunity for the use of rape as a weapon of war and to begin to change global attitudes to these crimes.

Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict

In July 2014 William Hague was appointed the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict. The Special Representative’s mandate is to lead the UK’s contribution to the international campaign to end the use of rape and sexual violence as weapons of war. He will work with governments, civil society, international organisations and other interested parties to implement the outcomes of the June Global Summit.

Background

PSVI complements wider UK Government work which aims to reduce the impact of conflict on women and girls and to promote their inclusion in conflict resolution. The UK Government’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security ensures that the UN resolutions on this agenda are fully incorporated into UK conflict-related defence, diplomatic and development activity.

Read the UK’s strategy on preventing sexual violence in conflict.

Read more about UN action against sexual violence in conflict.

Follow the PSVI campaign on Twitter and on Facebook.

Case studies

• Responding to sexual violence in Burma (10 April 2014)
• Supporting survivors of sexual violence in Colombia (10 April 2014)
• UK response to reports of sexual violence in the Syrian conflict (10 April 2014)
• Ending violence and transforming women’s lives (22 March 2013)

A new Digital Marketplace that helps the public sector buy IT services from a wide range of suppliers has been launched today, with Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude demonstrating how easy it is to use the platform.

The Marketplace provides a new single place for the public sector to access and buy IT commodities and services – such as site analytics and hosting services – from G-Cloud. It has replaced the current CloudStore and will be the single store for buyers for the second iteration for the Digital Services framework when it launches in the new year.

The simple design of the new Digital Marketplace makes it easier for buyers to find what they need when they need it. It has been built using an agile, user-centric design approach, meaning that it can be continually adapted and improved based on users’ feedback.

Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude officially launched the Marketplace today and also tried out the service for himself. The Minister said:

As part of our long term plan this government has been levelling the playing field and opening up digital procurement to the widest range of suppliers including SMEs.

We know that the range of frameworks and stores can be confusing. That’s why the new Digital Marketplace, which makes it clearer, simpler and faster for the whole of the public sector to buy digital products and services when it needs to, is a vast improvement for both supplier and customer.

This will ultimately lead to the delivery of better services for the public, and means that we can continue to work with a range of quality suppliers of all sizes.

Executive Director of GDS Mike Bracken said:

We are developing a whole new of way of buying digital. Modern services need to be continually iterated and improved to meet users’ needs. And we need a platform that allows us to flexibly commission what we need to deliver those services, drive down cost and drive up value.

The Digital Marketplace demonstrates that we can build a service that meets these needs and allows government to work with a wide range of innovative suppliers of all sizes.

Today’s launch forms part of the government’s drive to create a more open and competitive market that gives the public sector access to the best technology and digital services available. Frameworks such as G-Cloud and Digital Services mean that government can buy what it needs from a wide range of quality suppliers at the right price. The fifth iteration of the G- framework has 1,517 suppliers and over 16,000 services – 88% of these suppliers are SMEs. Total spend has now reached £314 million through the framework, with 53% going to SMEs.

Notes to editors

1. G-Cloud allows anyone in the public sector to buy off the shelf cloud-based services on a pay as you go basis. The framework covers infrastructure, platform, software and support services. Digital Marketplace will be the new home to find and buy cloud-based services.

2. The Digital Services framework launched in November 2013 and provides all of the public sector with easy access to a diverse range of suppliers of all sizes who have the right digital capabilities, behaviours and mindsets to help the UK government deliver its digital strategy. The framework was previously accessed through the Digital Services Store.

In March 2014 the Cabinet Secretary asked Sir Alex Allan to carry out a review to establish the position across government on:

• the annual release of papers
• the ability and readiness of departments to meet the requirements of moving from a 30 to a 20 year rule
• the processes for withholding information where release would harm individuals or the national interest.

The review was commissioned by the Prime Minister following the investigation into the publication in January 2014 of material from 2 documents released by the Cabinet Office under the Public Records Act relating to the Indian operation at Sri Harmandir Sahib, also called the Golden Temple, in Amritsar in June 1984.

It covers records from UK government departments but not from the Scottish, Welsh or Northern Ireland governments or the intelligence agencies.

This page sets out the Business Statements by the Leader of the House of Commons for November 2014.

The Business Statement takes place every Thursday morning when the House is sitting, usually at 11:30am. Statements are available here shortly after being announced to the House.

The Business Statement sets out the business of the House of Commons for the following week.

This takes place every Thursday morning when the House is sitting, usually at 11.30 am. Statements are available here shortly after being announced to the House.

It’s wonderful to be here with you in the Olympic Park.

Last time I was here was in 2012 for Super Saturday, when Team GB brought home a clutch of medals. Usain Bolt was cementing his place as the best ever sprinter on earth. This place seemed like the centre of the world – and played host to so much hope, anticipation and celebration. So it’s great to see so many young people here today, helping recapture that energy and excitement.

I once ran 100 metres in under 11 seconds. So I hope that my speech today feels like a sprint rather than a marathon.

Young people

I’ve been Minister for Civil Society for just over a month, but as a parent and an MP I see the fantastic things that young people and youth organisations do all the time.

My own son was in the Cubs and played for local youth football teams and my daughter was in the Brownies. They loved the sense of adventure and the opportunity to be outdoors and I saw how their character and confidence grew.

Every year I interact with local members of the UK Youth Parliament and Reading’s Youth Cabinet. Young people may not be interested in party politics but on the issues that matter to them they’re passionate and informed, which is why we’ve worked on many local campaigns together.

And recently I had the privilege of attending a reception marking the 15th anniversary of the Diana Awards. While I was there I met a fantastic young man from Cardiff called Kyle and presented him with an award. Kyle gets up at 6am every day so he can do a few hours’ work at a local grocery shop before college starts. His parents recently separated, and Kyle is helping look after his young brother and sister.

Neither of these things is particularly uncommon – lots of young people have to juggle work, home and education. But the remarkable thing about Kyle is that he did all these things and still found time to do 500 hours volunteering a year to help younger children – many with behavioural or learning difficulties – with their literacy and numeracy skills.

Here’s a young man who’s had to grow up quickly – but still finds time to give something back. Kyle’s example is another powerful vindication of young people today and for me this was a great introduction to youth policy.

So as Minister for Civil Society, I’m committed to bringing national and local government together, along with civil society and businesses, to give young people in this country the best possible opportunities to succeed.

Youth sector

The UK can be a great place in which to grow up. We’ve got free healthcare and excellent schools. We enjoy fantastic cultural and sporting opportunities – including superb facilities like the one we’re in today. The UK has some of the best universities in the world. And more and more businesses are offering apprenticeships for young people who want to get ahead in the world of work. So it’s crucial that we continue to help all young people take advantage of these opportunities, regardless of their background and circumstances.

And I’d like to thank everybody here today involved with supporting young people. It involves a lot of hard work and I know it can be extremely challenging at times but it really does matter. Because by training and supporting, encouraging and inspiring - or sometimes just by listening – you can change lives.

So let me assure you that this government recognises the importance of your work, and the contribution you make to young people in this country.

Government priorities

I know these have been tough times. The funding situation is tight. Local councils have had some difficult decisions to make. Sadly this has had a knock-on effect on the wider youth sector.

But I want to work with you to ensure that young people continue to have the support they need. I have 3 priorities.

The first is to ensure opportunities continue to exist outside school and college for young people to prepare for adult life, whether it’s developing their skills for work, gaining confidence and the ability to bounce back when something goes wrong or simply learning the importance of helping others.

We’re lucky in the UK to have so many organisations dedicated to working with young people. It’s an interesting fact that 11 out of the 12 people to walk on the moon belonged to the Scouts when they were younger.

We want young people to aim for the skies – or even the stars – and these kinds of organisations can help them on their way. So I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to support uniformed youth organisations, with £10 million raised through the Libor fines.

I’m also proud to support the #iwill campaign, led by Step Up To Serve, which aims to double the number of young people taking part in social action by 2020.

National Citizen Service is one valuable part of this. In the summer I met young people taking part in NCS in my constituency and learnt about the social action projects they were developing around issues like organ donation, body image, mental health and self-harming. In total more than 100,000 young people have now taken part in the programme and they’ve given some 2 million hours of service to their communities.

However, NCS isn’t the only part, and we need to do more to bring schools, local authorities, businesses and youth organisations together to provide opportunities for young people.

Youth voice

My second priority is to ensure young people’s voices are heard.

Earlier this month we saw a record turnout, 865,000 votes cast by 11 to 18 year olds across the country in the annual Make Your Mark Ballot, up by 81% compared to last year.

The ballot gives young people a say on what the Youth Parliament discusses in its annual House of Commons session, which will take place in a few days’ time. I’m looking forward to meeting them and hearing them debate these issues at length.

It’s also important that we allow young people to play a role in shaping the services they use, both at local and national levels. Listening shouldn’t be a gesture – it’s a way of ensuring our policies and services meet their actual needs – as opposed to what adults sitting in Whitehall or town halls think they need.

From a national perspective, I have asked my officials to explore ways government can get better at listening to young people when developing policy. I know there’s some great work going on in the youth sector to understand what young people most value and I want government to learn from this.

Transformation

My third priority is to help youth services adapt to become more resilient. Even though growth is returning, austerity, sadly, isn’t going to disappear any time soon. At the same time future governments – whatever their political persuasion – will always be faced with new pressures and more demands.

This means we can’t just rely on more money for youth services – we need to find better ways of doing things. So I’m pleased that one of the themes of this conference is ‘innovation and impact’.

I’m a small businessman by background. I believe the power of enterprise and innovation to find creative solutions to problems and develop better ways of doing things. Policies like payment-by-results and social investment are creating new opportunities for civil society.

We need you to be involved because government can’t do it alone. Civil society organisations are sometimes much closer to the people we want to help. They can be more responsive and can tailor services around the needs of communities and individuals many times better than government can.

Frontline London is a great example of the public, private sectors coming together with civil society to help change lives for the better. It was set up a year ago after an Evening Standard investigation into street gangs. The scheme is supporting 10 young Londoners to turn around their lives by becoming social entrepreneurs. The School for Social Entrepreneurs, a charity, is managing the project with £50,000 of funding from the Cabinet Office. Lloyds Banking Group is providing a further £100,000 together with business mentoring and training.

Whether setting up a martial arts gym or running workshops with local schools, these entrepreneurs are inspirational and – with a little help – they are, I hope, going to achieve great things.

We know that some local authorities are already exploring new models for delivering youth services involving these kinds of partnerships.

So we must make sure the lessons from these initiatives are shared because I want organisations working with young people to be able to benefit from – and contribute to – this transformation.

Impact measurement

For this to happen, youth organisations need to able to show how they change the lives of the people they work with. It’s not enough to rely on good intentions; nowadays all organisations need to be able to demonstrate the impact of their work. This isn’t some onerous box-ticking exercise imposed from above. It’s about providing the highest quality opportunities for young people. And helping youth organisations promote the impact of their work to commissioners and decision makers.

You’ve told us that good work is going on to improve evidence in different places across the sector, but also that much of it happens in an inconsistent way.

So I’m pleased that the Cabinet Office is supporting the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services, Project Oracle and the Social Research Unit to launch the Centre for Youth Impact today. It will be a central point for information and resources, and guidance and support to use them.

This will help youth organisations demonstrate and increase the impact of their work and will provide commissioners with greater evidence to make more effective decisions. And it will leave the sector as a whole in a far better position to adapt to changes in funding and commissioning that are coming through.

Conclusion

So, in conclusion:

I want to ensure young people get the best possible support in the future.

That means finding new and better ways of doing things to ensure that every penny we spend on youth services – and every minute that youth workers dedicate to helping young people – can have maximum impact. So where local authorities and youth organisations are exploring new ways of working I’ll back you to the hilt.

So please keep working with us, so we can understand what’s working and what’s not – not only between now and the general election, but to help inform the priorities for the next Parliament.

Thank you – and I hope you enjoy the rest of the conference.

This document was presented to the House of Commons pursuant to Section 6(4) of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000.

We are looking at whether the current classification system is fit for purpose. Where necessary we will identify any areas where changes could deliver practical benefits.

We are gathering evidence on the current system and would like to hear from individuals and organisations affected by it. The Classification Review Project Discussion Paper provides full details about the project and explains how you can contribute your views and experiences.

The landscape for public bodies needs radical reform to increase transparency and accountability, to cut out duplication of activity, and to discontinue activities which are simply no longer needed.

Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, Written Ministerial Statement, 14 October 2010.

Policy

The government’s presumption is that if a public function is needed then it should be undertaken by a body that is democratically accountable at either national or local level. A body should only exist at arm’s length from government if it meets one of 3 tests:

• it performs a technical function
• its activities require political impartiality
• it needs to act independently to establish facts

Over 900 bodies were subject to a cross-government review undertaken by all departments in spring/summer 2010. This included all non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), along with a number of non-ministerial departments and public corporations.

The Minister for the Cabinet Office announced the outcome of that review on 14 October 2010. Updated proposals published on 15 December 2011 confirm that approximately 500 public bodies will be reformed to some degree - with over 200 abolished and more than 170 merged into fewer than 80. Once all reforms have been implemented, the total number of public bodies will have reduced by approximately 300.

Read Progress on public bodies reform: December 2013 to find out what has been achieved so far.

• Public bodies reform – proposals for change
• Government response to the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) report
• Written Ministerial Statement: public bodies review programme
• Written Ministerial Statement - Public Bodies Act 2011

Legislation

The Public Bodies Act enables the government to push on with its plans to simplify the public bodies landscape. Reforms using the powers in the new Public Bodies Act are under way.

The Act builds on reforms that are already removing duplication and waste in public bodies and, along with simultaneous reductions in spending, will reduce the administrative costs of public bodies by at least £2.6 billion by March 2015.

The government committed to reviewing all public bodies in October 2010 and has already made swift progress including abolishing the Teachers TV Board of Governors and the Government Strategic Marketing Advisory Board. But, where public bodies were established by Acts of Parliament, legislation was needed to reform them. The Public Bodies Act has not enacted the changes per se, but as enabling legislation it contains the necessary order-making powers to allow ministers to make specific changes through a ministerial order, a type of secondary legislation. These orders will amend the primary legislation in which the relevant public body was established.

The Public Bodies Act sets out the Parliamentary procedure for an order to be made. A minister is required to lay a draft order, along with an explanatory document, in relation to one or more bodies listed in the Act’s schedules. The draft order is then subject to Parliamentary scrutiny which can include the application of an ‘enhanced affirmative procedure’ which lengthens the scrutiny period and allows for a select committee to examine and make recommendations on a draft order. The draft order must be approved by both Houses of Parliament before it comes into effect, and gives legal authority for a reform to be completed.

The advantage of this procedure is that it allows the government to make a very broad range of reforms without unnecessary delay, while also allowing Parliament to scrutinise individual reforms in detail, and ensure that the strict safeguards in the Act have been applied. Guidance for officials can be downloaded below.

The progress of how the Public Bodies Bill became an Act of Parliament can be viewed on the UK Parliament website. There are also some other pieces of legislation that will contribute to public bodies reform:

• The Health and Social Care Act includes plans to cut the number of health bodies to help meet the government’s commitment to cut NHS administration costs by a third, including abolishing Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities.
• The Education Act 2011 takes forward plans to abolish the following bodies: the General Teaching Council for England, the Training and Development Agency for Schools, the School Support Staff Negotiating Body, the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency and the Young Person’s Learning Agency.
• The Localism Act 2011 takes forward plans to abolish the London Development Agency, the Infrastructure Planning Commission, and to abolish the Tenant Services Authority and provide for a transfer of functions to the Homes and Communities Agency.

Implementation

Our proposals set out plans to abolish more than 200 bodies, merge more than 170 into fewer than 80 and substantially reform a further 120. Reforms to individual bodies are the responsibility of sponsoring departments, in partnership with the public bodies themselves.

Our Strategy for 2014 to 2017 sets out how we will reform public bodies for leaner, more efficient, more accountable, and more effective public bodies.

We have produced a suite of documents to provide departments with high level guidance on issues they may need to address in implementing the reforms, and where appropriate to seek further advice and contacts:

• Using the Public Bodies Act 2011, a guidance and best practice note for officials (pdf)
• Checklist for departments (pdf)
• Public Bodies Act 2011 Milestone Chart (xls)
• Laying an order under the Public Bodies Act 2011 (pdf)

The Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments has also produced a guidance note (pdf) on Orders under sections 1-5 of the Public Bodies Act 2011.

The Cabinet Office business plan includes a commitment to publish a quarterly status check of relevant public bodies until all are confirmed as fully decommissioned, beginning in January 2011.

NDPBs and executive agencies

What is an NDPB?

A NDPB is defined as a “body which has a role in the processes of national government, but is not a government department or part of one, and which accordingly operates to a greater or lesser extent at arm’s length from ministers”.

What is an executive agency?

An executive agency is a part of a government department which enables executive functions within government to be carried out by a well-defined business unit with a clear focus on delivering specified outputs within a framework of accountability to ministers.

Public bodies reports

Public bodies 2013 provides a directory of data on non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), executive agencies and non-ministerial departments (NMDs), as well as summary information on the size and expenditure of these bodies and information on public appointments.

This report has been published annually since 1980, and copies dating back to 1998 are available online.

Information on individual NDPBs

The Cabinet Office report Public bodies provides lists of all NDPBs and headline information on the NDPB sector. Most NDPBs have their own website providing a wide range of information on their governance, functions and activities. NDPBs’ websites can be accessed via the list of departments, agencies and public bodies on GOV.UK.

Governance of NDPBs and executive agencies

Non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are organisations that sit at ‘arm’s-length’ from ministers and have varying degrees of operational autonomy and independence from ministers. They have differing roles, including those that advise ministers and others which carry out executive or regulatory functions, and they work within a strategic framework set by ministers. As part of the reform programme, all NDPBs have been examined to ensure that they perform a necessary role.

Executive agencies are part of a government department which enables executive functions within government to be carried out by a well-defined business unit with a clear focus on delivering specified outputs within a framework of accountability to ministers.

The Cabinet Office publishes guidance on the creation, governance and closure of NDPBs and executive agencies. Cabinet Office also produces guidance on reviewing bodies to examine the key functions of a NDPB, how these contribute to the work of the NDPB and the sponsor department and whether these functions are still needed.

Public bodies: information and guidance

Reviewing NDPBs

The Cabinet Office has published guidance on how departments should review their NDPBs. This includes the processes to examine the key functions of a NDPB, how these contribute to the work of the NDPB and the sponsor department, and whether these functions are still needed. If it is decided that the functions are still needed then the review should examine whether a NDPB is the most appropriate delivery model.

The second stage of the review is to examine whether the body’s control and governance arrangements are in accordance with the recognised principles of good corporate governance.

This guidance, along with a new code of practice for board members of public bodies, was published by the Cabinet Office in June 2011. The list of bodies to be reviewed in 2011 to 2012 was confirmed by the Minister for the Cabinet Office in a Written Ministerial Statement on 15 December 2011 (pdf, 97kb). The list of bodies to be reviewed in 2012 to 2013 was confirmed in Public Bodies 2012.

• Guidance on reviews of non-departmental public bodies is supplemented by Advisory NDPBs: corporate governance arrangements (pdf, 307kb)
• Triennial review reports
• Rules on lobbying for non-departmental public bodies (pdf, 76kb)

Code of conduct for board members of public bodies

Board members of public bodies are expected to work to the highest personal and professional standards. This code (pdf, 102kb) sets out, clearly and openly, the principles and standards by which all non-executive board members of UK public bodies are expected to abide.

The code replaces earlier guidance on codes of practice for board members of public bodies issued by the Cabinet Office in 2004.

Rules on lobbying for non-departmental public bodies

There is a long-standing principle that public bodies must be politically impartial and must at all times ensure the proper use of public money. All NDPBs must comply with these restrictions (pdf, 76kb).

Appointments to the boards of public bodies

Governance is crucial to the success of public bodies and attracting the best people to public appointments is therefore vital. We provide advice and guidance to all those involved in making public appointments, to help them get the appointments process right, which includes examples of good practice.

Sponsorship

The relationship between a department and its arm’s-length bodies (ALBs) is managed by departmental sponsors. Sponsors within departments are specialists, and they are part of a cross-government network.

Sponsors bring together policy and delivery skills with expertise in sponsorship processes. These specialist skills and expertise allow sponsors to support their bodies in being accountable, high-performing organisations, delivering value for money services as outlined in their business plan and supporting the parent department in achieving its objectives.

From 2014 we have put in place tailored training and guidance to help sponsors develop the skills and knowledge they need to be effective:

• Introduction to sponsorship: induction pack for new sponsors of arm’s-length bodies is for people who are new to sponsoring an ALB; it is designed to complement any departmental specific guidance available for sponsors
• Sponsorship specialism competency framework sets out the set of competencies that sponsors need, to be effective in their role

Civil Service Learning offers a course Sponsorship of arm’s-length bodies to help sponsors develop the skills and knowledge they need in order to effectively support their organisation(s). Note that you need to log into the Civil Service Learning website for this link to work. Alternatively you can log in, select ‘Professions’ and then ‘Sponsorship’.

Classification Review

We are reviewing the administrative classification of public bodies within the UK. We will be looking at whether the current system is fit for purpose. Where necessary we will identify any areas where changes could deliver practical benefits.

Since 2010 our main focus has been on reducing the number and cost of public bodies, enhancing efficiency, eliminating duplication and waste, and improving accountability. The first phase of the Reform Programme is reaching its conclusion, with administrative spend reductions of at least £2.6 billion by March 2015, and with over 280 successful abolitions and mergers of public bodies. The time is now right for a comprehensive review of classifications.

We are gathering evidence on the current system and would like to hear from people and organisations affected by it. The Classification review project discussion paper provides full details about the project and explains how you can contribute your views and experiences.

If you have any queries about the review, email classificationreview@cabinet-office.gsi.gov.uk.

Over 900 bodies were subject to a cross-government review undertaken by all departments in spring/summer 2010. This included all non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), along with a number of non-ministerial departments and public corporations.

The Minister for the Cabinet Office announced the outcome of that review on 14 October 2010. Updated proposals published on 15 December confirm that approximately 500 public bodies will be reformed to some degree - with 199 abolished and a further 120 merged. Once all reforms have been implemented, the total number of public bodies will have reduced by more than 250.

The Public Bodies Act sets out the Parliamentary procedure for an order to be made. A minister is required to lay a draft order, along with an explanatory document, in relation to one or more bodies listed in the Act’s schedules. The draft order is then subject to Parliamentary scrutiny which can include the application of an ‘enhanced affirmative procedure’ which lengthens the scrutiny period and allows for a select committee to examine and make recommendations on a draft order. The draft order must be approved by both Houses of Parliament before it comes into effect, and gives legal authority for a reform to be completed.

The advantage of this procedure is that it allows the government to make a very broad range of reforms without unnecessary delay, while also allowing Parliament to scrutinise individual reforms in detail, and ensure that the strict safeguards in the Act have been applied. Guidance for officials can be downloaded on this page.

Implementation

Our proposals set out plans to abolish 199 bodies, merge 120 and substantially reform a further 176. Reforms to individual bodies are the responsibility of sponsoring departments, in partnership with the public bodies themselves.

The Cabinet Office Public Bodies Reform Team has produced a checklist for departments to assist in the implementation of reforms. This checklist provides departments with high level pointers on issues they may need to address in implementing the reforms, and where appropriate to seek further advice and contacts.

Read guidance on how to carry out triennial reviews of non-departmental public bodies.

In April 2011, Cabinet Office announced that all non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) still in existence following the reforms brought about by the Public Bodies Act would have to undergo a substantive review at least once every 3 years, starting in 2011 to 2012.

These triennial reviews would have 2 purposes:

• to provide a strong challenge of the continuing need for individual NDPBs, both their function and their form, employing the ‘3 tests’ discipline
• where it is agreed that a particular body should remain as an NDPB, to review the control and governance arrangements in place to ensure that the public body is complying with recognised principles of good corporate governance

Read the Triennial Reviews Guidance on how to carry out a review. Contact the Cabinet Office for a copy the original June 2011 guidance.

The guidance states that each review should be open and transparent, with a report at the end of the review providing evidence and rationale for decisions about the body’s future. Departments publish these reports online and announce their publication to Parliament.

Guidance on the triennial review process is part of the wider governance of public bodies.

Triennial reports published on other websites

• Social Science Research Committee triennial review 2013
• Youth Justice Board triennial review 2013
• Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) triennial review 2013
• Probation Trusts triennial review 2013
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) triennial review 2013
• Capital for Enterprise Ltd, following the creation of the business bank
• Royal Mint Advisory Committee on the design of coins, medals, seals and decorations

In order for their investors to claim social investment tax relief (SITR), eligible social impact bond contractors will need to be accredited by Cabinet Office. This document provides guidance on the accreditation scheme and an application form.

After receiving accreditation, the social impact bond contractor will need to submit a SITR compliance statement to HMRC. Read more information about this and the SITR scheme.

Cabinet Office publishes details about headcount and payroll costs for permanent staff and contractors on a monthly basis.

It also includes non-consolidated performance related pay data.

Notes for monthly workforce management information:

1. These figures are not official statistics. They are internal workforce management information published in the interests of transparency.

2. These figures have not been reconciled centrally with any national statistics. Where differences appear between the monthly information and national statistics, clarifying comments are provided.

3. The ONS quarterly public sector employment survey continues to provide an official headline measure for comparing the overall size of employment in central government organisations with other sectors of the economy at the relevant quarterly reference point.

4. Given the wide range of organisations covered, caution should be exercised when drawing inferences from the figures and care should be taken when making comparisons between organisations. Users of this management information should refer to any additional commentary and notes where these are provided.