Public Accounts Committee

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is a select committee of the UK Parliament responsible for overseeing government expenditure and ensuring value for money. It examines the accounts of government departments and agencies, holding them accountable for how they spend public funds. The PAC is currently newsworthy due to its recent critical reports on several government failings. These include a scathing assessment of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England regarding persistent medical negligence, highlighting the ballooning costs and lack of action despite years of warnings. The PAC has also investigated delays in civil service pension payments, leading to hardship for retirees, and a costly and ill-advised prison leasing deal by the Ministry of Justice. These investigations underscore the PAC's crucial role in scrutinizing government decisions, identifying inefficiencies, and demanding improvements in public service delivery and financial management, ensuring taxpayer money is used effectively.