Office of the Third Sector Homepage
Last updated: 23 November 2008
“The Government welcomes the report ‘Public services and the third sector: rhetoric and reality’ from the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC), and its recognition of the capacity for the third sector to deliver excellent and innovative public services.
“Third sector organisations have been driving social change and transforming the lives of the most disadvantaged people for centuries. No-one disputes that and it is a record worth investing in.
“We endorse the report's central proposition that intelligent commissioning is essential, and are already training 3,000 commissioners to ensure they are able to get the best out of the third sector.
“We will continue to support the growing number of third sector organisations who want to play an active role in delivering public services, and are very clear that we have never advocated a wholesale transfer of services.
“We have invested £5 million into a new independent research centre to build a robust evidence base on the effectiveness and value of the third sector.
“The Government has committed to consult widely with all relevant parties on who should be covered by the Human Rights Act, and is already acting to establish clarity on this issue. For instance, we have taken legislative action to ensure that local authority social care delivered in private care homes is covered under the Act.
“We will make a full response in due course.”