Pat McFadden

Pat McFadden

Labour — Wolverhampton South East

Speaking in the House of Commons on 24 April 2025

Debate

Civil Service Reform

Contribution

This is another debate, which has gone on for many years and relates to the question of headcount—Governments can magically reduce headcount by creating a quango somewhere, but the headcount may not have changed at all. What is informing the drive this time is the fiction that an arm’s length body can somehow absolve Ministers of responsibility. It does not work like that in the real world. Sometimes there is a good case for having an arm’s length body, but in the end, we know that accountability will be with Ministers, and that is what is informing how we look at these things at the moment.

More from Pat McFadden

Other recent Hansard contributions by the same speaker.

About Hansard

Hansard is the official verbatim record of proceedings in the UK Parliament. Every word spoken in the Commons and Lords is recorded and published — this page is a single contribution from that record.

For Pat McFadden's full parliamentary record including voting history, expenses and all other contributions, see the Pat McFadden report card.