Committee on Standards in Public Life launches review on accountability within public bodies

The independent Committee on Standards in Public Life is to carry out a review looking at accountability within public bodies and the importance of acting on early warning signs.

Announcing the review today (25 March), the Committee's new chair, Doug Chalmers, said it aims to share best practice on "how organisations build and maintain systems of internal accountability that enable timely decision making, supporting proper scrutiny of their decision making".

The decision to conduct the review is partly a result of the Committee being "struck" by how "it repeatedly seems to be the case that indicators of emerging issues were present, but missed" when failures have occurred within public institutions.

In a letter informing the chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, William Wragg MP, of the review, Chalmers said that missing the signs often results in missing the window to respond appropriately before problems escalate.

Commenting on the review, Chalmers added: "The human cost of these failures - as well as the financial cost to the taxpayer - is too much.

"The public sector is uniquely complex, with a variety of accountability mechanisms for decision-making and services. This review will look at how public bodies can do their best to ensure that issues are uncovered and addressed rapidly. Its purpose is to share best practice on how organisations build and maintain systems of internal accountability that enable timely decision making, supporting proper scrutiny of their decision making."

He also raised concern over artificial intelligence (AI), noting that it is important to better understand what accountability for decision-making when AI is involved means as the technology becomes increasingly embedded in the public sector.

Chalmers said the Committee would not be reinvestigating previous failures and expressed his desire to hear from those with experience or examples to share how to increase accountability in public bodies.

A report detailing best practice for public sector organisations is expected to be published in Spring 2025.

Alongside the announcement, the Committee has published the Terms of Reference for the project and an open call for evidence as part of its evidence gathering.

The open call for evidence closes on 14 June 2024.

Adam Carey