13.05.16
Government contracts to be opened to public scrutiny
UK commitments to prevent corruption in government contracts were announced yesterday at London’s Anti-Corruption Summit.
By October 2016, the government will implement the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) in the Crown Commercial Service’s operations and apply it to major projects, including HS2.
A public register of company beneficial ownership information for foreign companies who own property in the UK or bid on UK contracts will also be established.
Matt Hancock, minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, said: “There is nothing inevitable about countries being held back by the scourge of corruption, but it is a global problem that requires co-ordinated action.”
A recent Public Accounts Committee report criticised the government’s contracting strategy for failing to achieve value for money.
The government will also enhance company disclosure regarding payments to government for the sale of oil, gas and minerals, and tackle potential electoral fraud by developing a common data standard for reporting election results.
Other commitments featured in the UK Open Government National Action Plan 2016-18 include a new anti-corruption strategy and an innovation hub and measures to strengthen the operation of the Freedom of Information Act.
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