History
In the 1980s, after roughly a century of increasing public sector provision, the UK government turned once again to the private sector to help deliver its public services. The documents in this section span two decades of public sector contracting and competition policy in the UK. They chart the origins of today's public service reform policies, and set them in context. In addition, where key policy documents have been updated or superseded, this section contains a number of such papers in their earlier forms, offering interesting evolutionary insights.
(Please note: links on this page will open the page in a new browser window)
Outsourced and Business Services: A UK success story (PDF) Business Services Association (BSA), 2008 A survey of the history and present scope of the UK outsourcing industry (in both the public and private sectors) and its contribution to the wider economy. UK
Improving Productivity in Scotland's Public Services (PDF)
Armstrong, Jo, 2007
The David Hume Institute
Good Britain to Great Britain: Delivering World Class Public Services for a World Class Economy (PDF) Ernst & Young, 2006 A report which provides an overview of the history of public sector reform and looks at how a culture of continuous change and improvement can be embedded in British public services in the same way that it is in the private sector. UK
Is Public Service Reform Delivering? Audit Commission Inaugural Annual Lecture and Debate
Bichard, Sir Michael, 2005
Audit Commission
Value for Money Assessment Guidance (PDF) HM Treasury, 2004 The Stationery Office Superceded Treasury Taskforce Note 5 for PFI procurements. Introduced test to ensure VfM is assessed at earliest practical stage and that PFI is only pursued where appropriate. The Public Sector Comparator was integrated into the Ouline Business Case, produced prior to procurement to provide rigorous economic appraisal of the project. Replaced by VfM Assessment Guidance November 2006. UK
Standardisation of PFI Contracts
HM Treasury, 2004
The Stationery Office
UK
Public Private Partnerships : UK Expertise for International Markets International Financial Services London (IFSL) , 2003 UK
The Private Finance Initiative (PFI)
Allen, Grahame, 2001
House of Commons Economic Policy and Statistics Section
Building Better Partnerships - the Final Report of the Commission on Public Private Partnerships Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), 2001 Emphasis Contracting general, the use of the private sector in a 'rescue' capacity and its impact on the private sectors capacity to deliver, and some discussion on the use of outcome measures ISBN 1-86030-158-4 UK
Public Private Partnerships - The Government's Approach HM Treasury, 2000 The Stationery Office
The Private Finance Initiative: Saviour, Villain or Irrelevance? Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), Commission for Public Private Partnerships, 2000 Working Paper UK
Selling Government Services into Wider Markets Enterprise & Growth Unit Policy & Guidance Note, 1998 Her Majesty's Treasury UK
Public Services for the Future: Modernisation, Reform and Accountability, Comprehensive Spending Review: Public Service Agreements 1999-2002 HM Treasury, 1998 Cm 4181 UK
Next Steps Agencies: Guidance on Annual Reports (Excel) Cabinet Office, 1998 Provides guidance on the coverage and content of Agency annual reports. UK
The Competitive Advantage Report of the Confederation of British Industry Public Expenditure Task Force, 1998 UK
A new deal For Transport: Better for Everyone Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions, 1998 The Stationery Office
The Government's White Paper on the Future of Transport
The Green Book: Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government HM Treasury, 1997 The Stationery Office Successor to the 1991 edition. It takes into account the development of private finance and presents a more thorough coverage of the treatment of risk and uncertainty UK
Government Procurement: Progress Report to the Prime Minister 1995-96 HM Treasury, 1996 The Stationery Office Guidance on significant progress made by Goverment Agencies in procurement UK
Competing for Quality Policy Review: An Efficiency Unit Scrutiny Efficiency Unit, Cabinet Office, 1996 The Stationery Office This report presents the findings, conclusions and recommendations from a review of the management of the Competing for Quality (CfQ) initiative. The aim of CfQ is to increase efficiency and to expose public services to competition to improve value for money. The review suggests that the initiative has enhanced efficiency and extended competition throughout public services, since its creation in 1991. In particular, the review concentrates on the involvement of the private sector, where it suggests that the contractbidding process requires improvement. ISBN 011 430142 5 UK
Private Opportunity, Public Benefit - Progressing the PFI HM Treasury/PFP, 1995 UK
Financial Statement and Budget Report HM Treasury, 1995 HC30 UK
Market Testing and Contracting out of Defence Support FUnctions House of Commons Defence Committee, 1995 Thirteenth Report of Session 1994-95 ISBN 0 10 242695 3 UK
Setting New Standards: A Strategy for Government Procurement Her Majesty's Treasury, 1995 The Stationery Office ISBN 0 10 1284 02-0 UK
The Role of the Civil Service House of Commons Treasury and Civil Service Committee, 1993 The Stationery Office This report suggests ways to equip the Civil Service for the demands of the 21st century. The report analyses changes that may be required or anticipated in relation to the development of government initiatives such as the Citizen's Charter and the Next Steps Initiative. Some of the suggestions include ways of opening up the Civil Service to privatisation and greater opportunities for contracting and service-level agreements. ISBN 0 10 020654 9 UK
The Government's Guide to market Testing Efficiency Unit, Office of Public Service and Science, 1993 The Stationery Office ISBN 0 11 430078 X UK
Breaking New Ground HM Treasury, 1993 UK
The Next Steps Initiative-Seventh Report from the Treasury and Civil Service Committee Treasury and Civil Service Committee, 1991 The Stationery Office This report reviews the progress of the Next Steps Initiative. It analyses any problems that have been identified with the initiative so far, providing recommendations for improvement. These include concerns of there becoming a division between the Civil Service which deal separately with management and policymaking. The report does however generally accept that the initiative has made substantial progress so far. ISBN 0 10 249691 9 UK
Competing for Quality: Buying Better Public Services Her Majesty's Treasury, 1991 The Stationery Office This report looks at ways of expanding competition in the public sector. As well as in a number of departments, the report focuses on how competition can be extended in central, local government and the NHS. Proposals include providing incentives to managers, setting targets and encouraging private sector involvement. Streamlining through contracting is also suggested. ISBN 0 10 117302 4 UK
The Citizen's Charter: Raising the Standard Cabinet Office, 1991 The Stationery Office This White Paper presents early examples of how the Citizen's Charter was to be applied to many different public services. The paper explains that the intention of the Citizen's Charter is to give greater power to the citizen, and free the front line. As well as this, the document provides information on other policies in support of the Citizen's Charter and the Government's general reform plan for public services. Cm 1599 UK
New Roads by New Means Department of Transport, 1990 Cm 698 UK
The Financing and Accountability of Next Steps Agencies Her Majesty's Treasury, 1989 The Stationery Office This document outlines how the Next Steps Executive Agencies will be financed. It details the procedure for financing agencies and provides information on how the agencies will remain accountable to Parliament. Cm 914 UK
The Next Steps Initiative. National Audit Office (NAO), 1989 The Stationery Office This report records the initial arrangements in implementing the Next Steps Initiative. The document is explicit in outlining how agencies will function in the framework of government. It focuses on the government's key priorities in organising the agencies. In particular, one of the main concerns is the introduction of more accountable management, whilst at the same time delegating a greater responsibility outside government. ISBN 0 10 241089 5 UK
Government Purchasing Her Majesty's Treasury, 1989 ISBN 0 11 560028 0 UK
Civil Service Management Reform: The Next Steps Treasury and Civil Service Committee, 1988 The Stationery Office This report sets out arguments concerning the way in which government is organised, and has changed. The report identifies that management has become more efficient, and the quality of services has improved. However, it does suggest a number of improvements, such as the need for the Civil Service be more flexible. It also recommends the delegation of management decisions and a role for agencies to carry out the executive functions of government.I ISBN 0 10 020198 9 UK
Improving Management in Government: The Next Steps Jenkins, Kate; Caines, Karen and Jackson, Andrew, 1988 The Stationery Office Efficiency Unit Report to the Prime Minister ISBN 0 11 430026 7 UK
The Local Right: Enabling Not Providing Ridley, Nicholas, 1988 Centre for Policy Studies A paper by the then Conservative Environment Secretary published shortly before the start of the first round of CCT which discusses the scope and role of local government and how services can be improved through strengthening accountability and extending competition. ISBN 1 870265 25 4 UK
Using Private Enterprise In Government Her Majesty's Treasury, 1986 The Stationery Office Report of a multi-departmental review of competitve tendering and contracting for services in Government Departments. ISBN 0 11 560009 4 UK
Report on the Organisation of the Permanent Civil Service (PDF) Northcote, Stafford H. and Trevelyan, Charles E., 1854 Her Majesty's Stationery Office This report recommended an end to the system of patronage and privilege for appointments to civil service positions so as to reduce inefficiency and corruption and its replacement with a system of promotion based on merit and competition. It led to the creation of the Civil Service Commissioners and recrutiment through examination and interview. UK