Committees

Cross-government working

Inquiry

Central government is organised into departments that plan and deliver their own objectives. Sometimes these objectives can be met perfectly well by departments acting alone, but in some instances Government priorities cut across departmental boundaries and require them to work together. There are several different types of cross-government working, from sharing best practice between departments to delivering complex programmes that cut across different departments. Priorities like net zero, adult social care, rough sleeping and vulnerable families all require this second type of cross-government working.

Cross-government working can allow the government to deliver outcomes more effectively and deliver better value for money, but it requires a clear concerted effort.

Based on a National Audit Office investigation into effective cross-government working, the Committee will question senior officials including from the Cabinet Office and the Treasury.

The inquiry will explore what effective cross-government looks like, good practice examples, and what are some of the barriers to cross-government working.

If you have evidence on this issue, please submit it here by 23:59 on Friday 24 November 2023. 

Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere.

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was Friday 24 November 2023.

Reports, special reports and government responses

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Twelfth Report - Cross-government working
Inquiry Cross-government working
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HC 75
Report
Response to this report
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twelfth report from Session 2023-24
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HC 75
Government Response

Correspondence

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Joint correspondence from Alex Chisholm, Cabinet Office, Civil Service Chief Operating Officer Second Permanent Secretary, and Cat Little Second, Permanent Secretary, HM Treasury, re Public Accounts Committee: Cross – Government Working, dated 21 December 2023
Inquiry Cross-government working
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Oral evidence transcripts

No oral evidence transcripts published.

Written evidence

No written evidence published.

Other publications

Government Responses
The Government has undertaken to respond to most committee reports within two months, although there are exceptions to this rule.
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Contact us

  • Email: pubaccom@parliament.uk
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  • Address: Public Accounts Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA