The Independent Review of Regulation, Audit, Inspection and Complaints Handling of Public Services in Scotland, chaired by Professor Lorne Crerar, makes 42 recommendations to improve the role of scrutiny within the public sector.

The review outlines how public services could be given greater responsibility measure their performance to comply with regulation. Other recommendations include:

• Ministers should assess existing scrutiny activity with the aim of reducing it
• The voice of service users should be strengthened to develop more outcome-focused public services
• Scrutiny organisations should collaborate to eliminate duplication and co-ordinate activity
• Cost/benefit analysis should become a routine element of any decisions about the use of external scrutiny
• Ministers should appoint one body to co-ordinate scrutiny of local government and scrutiny of the NHS should become independent
• A single national scrutiny body could be set up in the longer term
• The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman shoud oversee all publc service complaints handling systems and a consistent, time framed and locally based complaints system should be introduced across all public services.

Professor Crerar siad: "The role of scrutiny is to provide independent assurance that public services are well managed, safe, for-for-purpose and spending taxpayers' money efficiently.

"All the public bodies I spoke to agreed that scrutiny was important, and many were able to point to benefits. However, those responsible for providing services were critical of the current burden they perceived to exist, with may suggesting that the costs outweight the benefits. Having undertaken a wide-ranging review, I am in no doubt that we need a more efficient, consistent and transparent assessment of public services.

" ...I am proposing a substantial reduction in the burden experienced by providers that, in the longer term, would reduce significantly what I believe to be an unnecessarily over-crowded landscape...What I am proposing is radically different from current arrangements and could eventually lead to the creation of one single scrutiny body. I do not underestimate the work that willbe required to deliver it but, given the concerns that have been expressed to me, and my own view of the complex arrangements that have evolved, I believe it is right to recommend these steps be taken now."

Responding to the report, John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, said: "This report will play a key part in our ongoing work to declutter, simplify and improve public services in Scotland. The Scottish Government must now consider the report in full and in line with our top priorities to increase sustainable economic growth and deliver value for taxpayers' money."

The Review was announced by the previous Scottish Executive in June 2006. An interim report was published in March 2007.

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