Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Rejected
Department established arrangements to manage Accounting Officer's conflict of interest in rugby union matters.
Conclusion
Since her appointment as Permanent Secretary in June 2023, the Department’s Accounting Officer has had a declared conflict of interest regarding rugby union.63 The Department told us that it has put in place arrangements to handle this conflict whereby its Director General for Policy is responsible for decisions and advice to ministers regarding the Department’s involvement in rugby union and its Director General for Finance is responsible for financial matters and acts as Accounting Officer in this area. The post of Director General for Finance is currently vacant, with the role filled by the Department’s Finance Director in the interim.64
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the committee's recommendation and believes accountability is best achieved by having a Director General within the department as an Additional Accounting Officer, rather than a Permanent Secretary from another department.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
6.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 6.2 The Permanent Secretary wrote to PAC on this matter on 1 April and 12 May 2025 to ensure the Committee has clarity around the specific Accounting Officer arrangements. 6.3 The department will continue to liaise with the Treasury to follow best practice, ensure consistency with Managing Public Money guidance and to ensure that there is appropriate accountability to Parliament relating to Rugby Union loans. 6.4 To summarise the arrangements, Accounting Officer decisions on Rugby Union are delegated. The department continues to believe that accountability is best achieved by having a Director General within the department as an Additional Accounting Officer, rather than a Permanent Secretary from another department. 6.5 The Director General for Strategy and Major Events at DCMS has now been appointed as Additional Accounting Officer for Rugby Union matters. This is a continuation of the existing arrangements and is in line with HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money guidance which states that after declaring the conflict other individuals can have delegated responsibility to make decisions. 6.6 The arrangements in relation to Rugby Union on this matter are also set out in the DCMS Annual Report and Accounts, most recently for 2023-24.