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| Chair of the Public Accounts Committee | |
|---|---|
| Name | Chair of the Public Accounts Committee |
| Department | House of Commons |
| Reports to | Select Committees |
| Appointing authority | House of Commons |
Chair of the Public Accounts Committee is the presiding officer of the Public Accounts Committee in the House of Commons, tasked with oversight of public expenditure, procurement, and institutional accountability. The office intersects with institutions such as the National Audit Office, the Treasury, and assorted Whitehall departments, and its holders frequently engage with senior figures from the Civil Service, Permanent Secretary, and ministers across portfolios.
The chair leads scrutiny of the National Audit Office reports, examinations of departmental accounts, and hearings involving senior officials such as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary of State for Defence, Home Secretary, and heads of agencies like the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and NHS England. Responsibilities include setting inquiry agendas, calling witnesses from bodies such as the Ministry of Defence, Department for Education, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and public corporations including BBC and Network Rail, and producing reports that can prompt action by entities like the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and National Audit Office. The chair liaises with committee clerks, legal advisers, and external auditors including the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The chair is elected by members of the House of Commons under rules established by the House of Commons Commission and prevailing orders for Select Committees. Elections follow similar procedures used for chairs of committees such as Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Public Accounts Committee, and Treasury Select Committee, with nominations from MPs representing constituencies like Westminster or Brighton and oversight by the Speaker of the House of Commons. Tenure aligns with the life of a parliament or until resignation, recall, or general election affecting MPs such as those from Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, or other parties including Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru.
Notable chairs have included senior MPs who later held or previously held ministerial posts, connecting to figures like Margaret Thatcher era contemporaries, or to auditors and accountants linked with firms like KPMG, PwC, and Deloitte. Chairs have presided during inquiries that engaged personalities such as Gordon Brown, Theresa May, Tony Blair, John Major, David Cameron, and others. The lineage of officeholders intersects with parliamentary epochs including the Parliament Act 1911 aftermath, post-war administrations led by Clement Attlee, and contemporary eras shaped by events like the 2008 financial crisis and the Brexit referendum.
Though not a ministerial post, the chair wields influence through subpoena-like powers to summon officials, compel evidence, and present reports to the House of Commons that may trigger debates involving the Leader of the House of Commons, Prime Minister, and cabinet ministers. The chair’s reports can influence entities such as the National Audit Office, the Public Accounts Commission, and trigger action by the Treasury Solicitor or spark investigations by regulators including the Financial Conduct Authority when financial irregularities intersect with public bodies. Chairs often cultivate reputations comparable to committee chairs of the Forestry Commission or chairs in legislatures like the United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
The chair mediates between the House of Commons privileges, committee membership drawn from party groups including Conservative Party and Labour Party, and executive departments such as the Cabinet Office. The role is institutionalized through relationships with the Speaker of the House of Commons, the House of Commons Commission, and statutory officers such as the Comptroller and Auditor General and interacts with oversight bodies like the Public Accounts Commission and the National Audit Office. Chairs maintain cross-party credibility to summon figures from bodies like HM Revenue and Customs, Ministry of Justice, and Department of Health and Social Care.
Chairs have led inquiries into high-profile matters including the handling of defence procurement like the Eurofighter Typhoon, public health responses linked to NHS England spending, financial scandals touching institutions such as RBS, and contracts debated after the COVID-19 pandemic procurement controversies. Reports have catalyzed changes in procurement practices, prompted resignations of senior officials, and influenced legislation debated in venues such as House of Commons chambers and committees like the Treasury Select Committee and Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee. The chair’s inquiries have intersected with inquiries led by figures in law enforcement and watchdogs including the Information Commissioner's Office, the Competition and Markets Authority, and international audit bodies like the European Court of Auditors.