WIREDGOV

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills today announced proposals for changes to its partner organisations driven by the need to create greater efficiency and clarity in the way government works. These changes are part of the Government-wide work to increase the transparency and accountability of public bodies.

After a thorough and detailed analysis of its partner organisations the Department has identified which bodies to retain and those that will be reformed, merged or no longer classed as non-departmental public bodies in order to deliver more effective and efficient public services. Changes to the Department’s partner organisations involve:

19 bodies will no longer be NDPBs;6 bodies will be merged;2 bodies will no longer be Public Corporations;21 bodies are being retained; and9 bodies are being considered further

To strengthen communication regulation POSTCOMM will be merged with OFCOM to deliver greater efficiencies and form a single communications focused regulatory body. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) will retain its current independent status but no longer receive Government funding.

The innovative work of the Design Council and NESTA will continue and be enhanced by seeking a change in the status of each organisation from a public body into a private sector charity. The Design Council would operate as an independent not-for-profit organisation incorporated by Royal Charter and continue to champion design as a driver of innovation and economic growth, working in close partnership with Government.

Operating as a charity would preserve NESTA’s ability to deliver its public benefit mission to demonstrate how the UK can best exploit innovation to promote economic growth and tackle social challenges at no cost to the taxpayer.

Changes to a further 9 partner organisations are under consideration. Full details, relating to all 57 partner organisations in scope of this process, can be found on the Department’s website.

Notes to Editors

1. Full details of all the changes to BIS partner organisations can be found at www.bis.gov.uk/

2. Reforms to BIS Consumer and Competition public bodies have also been announced today. Full details can be found at the BIS online newsroom ( http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom ), where a full list has been published.

3. BIS' online newsroom contains the latest press notices, speeches, as well as video and images for download. It also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom for more information.

4. Details of the Government wide announcement on changes to Public Bodies can be found on the Cabinet Office website at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Contacts:

BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk