WIREDGOV

Welcoming the Public Accounts Committee report, Contracting out Public Services to the Private Sector, published today (Friday) TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“It is time to end the default assumption that anything done by the public sector is better done by private contractors. The truth is that there has been a growing tide of scandals, fraud and service failure. Some of this is down to government incompetence in contracting out, but much is an inevitable result of replacing the public sector ethos with the profit motive and cost-cutting.

“This is made worse by allowing private sector contractors to hide behind commercial secrecy every time anyone tries to hold them to account. This is in stark contrast to the welcome transparency provided by freedom of information, transparent governance and parliamentary oversight for the public sector.

“We strongly back the Committee’s call for more openness about private sector contractors, but the real remedy will only come when governments understand that it is just plain wrong to assume that the private sector always knows best.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The TUC is organising Fair Pay Fortnight from Monday 24 March to Sunday 6 April. It will be a series of events across England and Wales to raise awareness about falling living standards. www.fairpayfortnight.org  

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