In responding to the Crerar Review, the government stated that the scrutiny landscape should be simplified and scrutiny and complaints handling should be placed under a more consistent and understandable structure. The Government will consider a structural framework which will act as a basis to achieve a simplified and more coherent approach to delivering scrutiny. Over time, the intention is to rationalise the scrutiny and complaints handling landscape to improve ease of access to, and understanding of, our scrutiny and complaints handling systems for the public.
This is consistent with the Government's broader approach towards achieving smaller and simpler Government. This work will involve the sectors and bodies concerned, particularly the Parliament's Corporate Body, and will assess risk factors associated with structural rationalisation by the end of May 2008 to allow more detailed plans to be taken forward. Changes in the organisation of scrutiny bodies in themselves are not likely to eradicate overlap or the need for joint working, but the Government believes a structural solution will go part of the way to minimising this.