Overview

This bill aims to increase the accountability of certain public bodies to the UK Parliament. It mandates parliamentary approval for key documents from these bodies, ensuring greater oversight of their activities.

Description

This bill requires specified "qualifying bodies" to submit relevant documents (annual reports and accounts) to the House of Commons for approval. A qualifying body is defined as:

• An Executive Agency, Non-Departmental Public Body, or Non-Ministerial Department.
• Meeting at least one of the following criteria:
  • Annual operating expenditure of £5 million or more.
  • Undertaking any regulatory function (excluding solely accreditation or authorization of professional standards).
  • Having any statutory duty that is not solely advisory.

The House of Commons has 40 days to approve these documents (excluding parliamentary recesses exceeding 4 days). Failure to approve sends the document to the Committee of Public Accounts for review. The Secretary of State can amend the qualifying body criteria via statutory instrument, requiring prior House of Commons approval.

Government Spending

The bill's direct impact on government spending is not explicitly stated. However, the increased parliamentary oversight and potential for scrutiny of spending by the Committee of Public Accounts could indirectly influence future budget allocations. No specific figures are provided.

Groups Affected

This bill directly affects:

• Executive Agencies: Increased scrutiny of their operations and financial reporting.
• Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs): Increased accountability to Parliament for their activities.
• Non-Ministerial Departments: Subject to the same increased accountability as NDPBs and Executive Agencies.
• Parliament: Increased role in overseeing the activities of qualifying bodies.
• Committee of Public Accounts: May receive more referrals of documents for review.

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