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07 August 2002
ADVISORY COUNCIL OF PARTNERSHIPS UK PUBLISHES ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2001
At the request of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the Scottish Minister of Finance, the Treasury's Advisory Council of Partnerships UK (PUK) has published its first annual report on its work during 2001. The Report recognises the successful start which PUK has made in delivering its public sector mission.
The Advisory Council, drawn from across the public sector, and set up under the chairmanship of Sir Andrew Turnbull, former Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, identified three key achievements in its Annual Report 2001:
- Approval for PUK's selection criteria for projects ;
- Confirmation that PUK's business covers a good sectoral spread with projects in the health, defence, education, environment and transport sectors; and
- Issue of a Code of Practice setting out how PUK will function as a PPP in relation to its shareholders;
Sir Andrew Turnbull, Chairman of the Advisory Council commented:
?Partnerships UK is a key part of the government's delivery agenda. The work of this Council is a success for joined-up government and secures support across the public sector for this agenda.?
James Stewart Chief Executive Officer of Partnerships UK said,
?I am proud of the progress made by Partnerships UK in its first full year of trading. The Council's Report confirms that Partnerships UK has developed a sound relationship with a wide range of public bodies. This enables us to offer our clients real, practical support in delivering PPPs.?
The Council also considered PUK's relationship with the devolved administrations and the Office of Government Commerce.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Advisory Council was founded in order to ensure that PUK fulfilled its public sector mission. Sir Andrew Turnbull, Cabinet Secretary-Designate is Chairman of the Council.
2. The Council comprises representatives of Government Departments, the Devolved Administrations, Local Authorities and other public bodies that are amongst PUK's most significant clients. The Council met on three occasions in 2001.
3. The Council does not have executive authority over Partnerships UK, but the Company's Articles of Association require it to report to the Advisory Council.
4. The role of the Advisory Council is to review the scope of PUK's public sector mission and the manner in which it is being carried out. To achieve this, the Council will:
- represent generally the interests of the public sector in its dealings with PUK;
- act as a forum for discussing any concerns of the public sector in its dealings with PUK;
- review the ongoing business activities of PUK and in particular the types of PPP projects in which PUK is engaging;
- review new business initiatives of PUK;
- review PUK's methodology and criteria used for selecting projects.
5. Partnerships UK is a PPP, with a public sector mission to work with public bodies to support and develop their PFI and PPP projects. The private sector owns a 51% majority shareholding and the Treasury and the Scottish Executive share a 49% shareholding.
6. Press Enquiries to Malcolm Graves at HM Treasury on 020 7270 5161 or James Worron at Partnerships UK on 7211 1454.
Press Notices 2002 July to December index