Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 November 2016 to Question 53524, on Kids Company, whether the independent third party had any remit to investigate the outcomes reported by Kids Company; and whether a mechanism is in place to verify outcomes reported by grant-receiving charities in order to accurately evaluate performance against delivery targets.

For the first part of 2015, Methods Consulting were required to monitor the performance of Kids Company against the output measures set out in the grant. They had full access to Kids Company’s data to allow them to take an independent view. Methods Consulting also worked with Kids Company to put in place an outcomes framework.

For the 15-16 Financial Year, a dedicated CO official was responsible for monitoring Kids Company’s delivery against a set of delivery targets. A summary of these is set out on Parliament’s website: http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/public-administration-and-constitutional-affairs-committee/kids-company/written/23362.html

Cabinet Office undertook a review of Grants making under Section 70 of the Charities Act, which fed into the wider work of Cabinet Office Grants Efficiency Programme. Minimum grant standards were introduced this month. This includes the requirement that grants will have outputs agreed wherever possible to enable active management of performance, including regular reviews and adjustment.

PACAC was informed of the progress made and offered a copy of the draft minimum Grant standards in a letter addressed to the Chair of PACAC on 30 August 2016.