How can outsourced public services be made more transparent?
The government spends \xa3284 billion \u2013 almost a third of its total expenditure \u2013 on external suppliers. The money spent goes to a complex web of organisations, including large contractors, SMEs, charities, housing associations and academy chains, who all deliver public services. But while public service delivery has changed, the law has not kept up \u2013 and there is less information about outsourced services than those delivered directly by the government.\n\nAt this event, we discussed:\n\nWhat additional information should government routinely publish about outsourced public services?\nWhether the Freedom of Information Act 2000 should be extended to all providers of public services?\nHow public services can be made more transparent without placing burdens on SMEs, charities and other small providers?\nOur panel included:\n\nMeg Hillier MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee\nKate Steadman, Group Strategy & Communications Director, Serco\nKarl Wilding, Chief Executive at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations\nSteve Wood, Deputy Commissioner (Policy) at the Information Commissioner\u2019s Office\nThe event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.\n\nThere was an opportunity for questions from the audience.