Policy Exchange

Who do we hold accountable for success or failure in the running of our public services? Is the principle of ministerial responsibility all we need, or should civil servants be held directly accountable too?

How should the changing landscape of public services change the work of bodies like the PAC and the National Audit Office?  With payment for outcomes in welfare and criminal justice, who exactly is it that we should hold to account?  Is open data enough, or do we need to extend Freedom of Information legislation to bodies which are currently exempt? And are processes designed to audit the work of large government departments still appropriate for public services which are now more fragmented or contracted out?