Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 22
22
We asked the Department how with such a large number of potential and potentially significant...
Conclusion
We asked the Department how with such a large number of potential and potentially significant conflicts of interest, within staff, non-executive directors or Ministers at the Department, they make sure that conflicts are identified and dealt with properly. The Department told us that this is particularly challenging for them, because health and care makes up about 10% of the economy, as a result for any relative you have there is a one in 10 chance of them either being an employee of the NHS or working for a contractor that works for the NHS.40
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
5: PAC conclusion: The Department’s COVID-19 pandemic procurement highlighted the importance of achieving transparency in respect of how it identifies and manages declarations of interests. 5: PAC recommendation: The Department should maintain and improve accountability by embedding their revised processes so that these are undertaken on a timely basis each and every year and normalise the transparency of the results by inclusion of the full list of interests identified in every Annual Report and Accounts. 5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 5.2 As part of the preparation of the 2021-22 Annual Report and Accounts, the department has implemented the agreed revised process for identifying and disclosing interests and related parties, incorporating all lessons learned from the 2020-21 process and recommendations from the National Audit Office (NAO). 5.3 As in 2020-21, the department will continue to include a full list of interests in each and every annual report and accounts.