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