How can outsourced public services be made more transparent?

The government spends £284 billion – almost a third of its total expenditure – 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 – and there is less information about outsourced services than those delivered directly by the government. At this event, we discussed: What additional information should government routinely publish about outsourced public services? Whether the Freedom of Information Act 2000 should be extended to all providers of public services? How public services can be made more transparent without placing burdens on SMEs, charities and other small providers? Our panel included: Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee Kate Steadman, Group Strategy & Communications Director, Serco Karl Wilding, Chief Executive at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations Steve Wood, Deputy Commissioner (Policy) at the Information Commissioner’s Office The event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. There was an opportunity for questions from the audience.