Public Sector Mutuals
Cabinet Office
Gareth Thomas (Harrow West, Labour)
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office
(1) how many new public sector mutuals were created or spun-off by his Department in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how the funding for the Mutual Support Programme has been spent to date; which organisations have received funding; how much they received; what results they are required to achieve; and if he will make a statement.
Francis Maude (Minister for the Cabinet Office; Horsham, Conservative)
MyCSP, which administers the Civil Service Pension Scheme, launched in April 2012 as a pathfinder mutual joint venture spinning out from Cabinet Office.
The Cabinet Office's role in the creation of mutuals across the wider public sector is to provide a comprehensive programme of support:
In December 2011, we launched the £10 million Mutuals Support Programme, comprising a website, dedicated hotline and the funds.
Rather than handing out money the Mutuals Support Programme procures suppliers to deliver the support needed for organisations interested in spinning out into a mutual. This way tools and learning can be shared for the benefit of others wishing to spin out of the public sector.
A contract for support is agreed, on the basis of meeting stated criteria, and published on Contracts Finder:
http://www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/
Information on the programme will be published shortly on the Mutuals Information Service:
http://mutuals.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/
In 2010-11 the coalition Government announced a Mutual Pathfinder Programme of 21 projects, eight of which have already spun out, with a further series of launches due this year.
Through this work, Cabinet Office is driving the creation of new mutuals led by entrepreneurial public sector staff who want to take control of their services. These projects are playing a vital role in enabling Government to learn and share lessons from the front line as to how to encourage mutuals on an ongoing basis.