The Continuing Importance of Ethical Standards for Public Service Providers

Government departments, particularly those specialising in commercial capability, should immediately revise policies, practices, training and guidance to implement the recommendations in the Committee's 2014 report

The Cabinet Office should publish a statement providing information on activities taken to implement the 2014 recommendations

Commissioners of services should include a Statement of Intent as part of the commissioning process or alongside contracts where they are extended, setting out the ethical behaviours expected by government of the service providers

The HM Treasury Code of Practice for Government Boards should be revised to include ethical standards as key considerations for departmental boards

Departmental boards should put in place processes to learn lessons regarding contractual relationships prior to contracts’ conclusion or extension

Departmental boards should demonstrate leadership on the importance of high ethical standards in commissioning and elevate responsibility for the overall framework for commissioning for services, including expected ethical standards, to board level

The Government Chief Commercial Officer should revise the Standards of Service for the Government Commercial Function personnel to include understanding of and commitment to continuing awareness of ethical standards

Ethical standards training relevant to procurement and commissioning activities should be mandatory for all civil servants for whom commissioning is part of their role

Accounting Officers in their annual accounts should provide assurance in accordance with HM Treasury’s ‘Principles of Managing Public Money’ that high ethical standards are part of achieving value for money

All professional bodies such as CIPS, CIPFA, ICAEW and ICAS, as well as the National Audit Office, should insist that financial, audit, legal and actuarial professionals demonstrate ‘moral courage’ when they witness irregularities, and ensure they know where to go to make professional complaints about ethical standards breaches

The government should hold a public consultation on the question of expanding the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (UK) to include information held by providers where that information relates, directly or indirectly, to performance of a contract with government for the delivery of public services

All public service providers must, at the point of commissioning, agree to the commissioning bodies’ Statement of Intent on the ethical behaviour expected of the Board, employees and subcontractors in delivery of any contract

All public service providers must, at the point of commissioning, publish a corollary “Statement of Providers’ Intent” providing their plan for embedding a culture of high ethical standards in their service delivery approach during the life of the contract. This statement should reference the providers’ approach to ethical leadership, performance management, induction and ongoing professional training on ethical issues and honesty in reflecting performance issues during the life of the contract

All suppliers to government be required to publish the process and anonymised outcomes of whistleblowing and complaints process the organisation has in place