Rewiring the State

Andrew Murrison Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Louise Haigh]

My hon. Friend is right to champion that important development. I would be delighted to facilitate a meeting for him in No. 10 North.

[Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con)]

Will the First Secretary of State’s exercise in delivering democracy and local accountability and empowering local people include a look at large organisations that cannot be described as governmental or as quangos but that nevertheless exist firmly within the public domain, are established by statute, serve the public and are big employers, and in which the public have a direct interest, such as the National Trust? That is ripe for review—it is meant to be reviewed periodically—and it would certainly fall within the scope of the work she has been talking about.

[Louise Haigh]

I will take that point away. We have already made significant progress in our review on closing or merging arm’s length bodies, including NHS England and the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments. We know that we need to go further, and we will close or merge those where that is justified as part of our plans to rewire Whitehall. I will write to the right hon. Gentleman on the issue he raises.