Selling Services into Wider Markets
Introduction
The Government is committed to increasing the efficiency of the public sector, both through the more
effective management and delivery of public services and the fuller utilisation of public assets. To this end
the Government published the National Asset Register (NAR) in November 1997.
At the same time it announced incentives for departments and agencies both to sell off surplus assets and to
make the best use of those retained. This guidance sets out details of the revised arrangements in respect of
retained assets and a framework for enabling departments to develop proposals for their more efficient use
through commercial activity, where appropriate.
The Government’s policy is that departments and their agencies, and NDPBs, should enhance the
utilisation and value of their assets, whether physical or non-physical. The policy therefore applies to
software, databases, skills and intellectual property as well as to physical assets such as equipment, land
and premises.
Exploiting Commercial Potential
In some cases, and subject to sensible safeguards, the most efficient use of an asset may involve exploiting
its commercial potential. Such public sector commercial activity has the ability to generate additional
resources for core departmental objectives and to benefit the economy as a whole through more productive
use of assets, for example by marketing widely high-quality goods and services originally developed in the
public sector.
The Wider Markets Initiative (WMI) encourages the public sector to adopt a more entrepreneurial approach
to making the most effective and efficient use of public assets.
It applies to the commercial exploitation of assets for non-core ("wider") purposes, and includes both:
•
•
physical assets (irreducible spare capacity of equipment, land, buildings etc.); and
non-physical assets (software, databases, skills, intellectual property etc).
HM Treasury has produced a Policy and Guidance Note on Selling Government Services into Wider
Markets that outlines the Initiative and establishes incentives for Wider Markets projects, including:
•
•
•
the automatic right to retain the benefit of receipts generated by sales into wider markets;
the ability to use receipts to offset administration expenditure; and
all departments to nominate an internal Wider Markets officer.
The Partnerships UK
Wider Markets Unit
Partnerships UK has been tasked by HM Treasury to take forward coordination of the Wider Markets
Initiative. The PUK Wider Markets Coordination Unit is a central resource, free at the point of use for
public sector bodies.
The Unit can call on a range of skills and experience to assist at all stages of a wider markets opportunity.
The Unit provides a Helpdesk facility to answer queries on the Wider Markets Initiative.
The Wider Markets Unit is currently staffed by Nick Forster.
Wider Markets Guidance
Policy on Wider Markets is set out in Selling Government Services into Wider Markets Policy and
Guidance Note (HM Treasury 1998). This guidance is being updated and the revised version will be
published shortly.
Partnerships UK is producing a range of guidance on implementing Wider Markets policy:
•
A Guidance Note for Public Bodies forming Joint Venture Companies with the Private Sector
•
Selecting a Partner for selling into Wider Markets and Commercialisation of Public Sector
Research (forthcoming)
•
Implementing Wider Markets: A Guide for Public Bodies (forthcoming)
The Wider Markets Test below shows the key steps and questions for those considering Wider Markets
projects.
The Wider Markets Test
Wider Markets Project Support
The Partnerships UK Wider Markets Unit provides support to public bodies:
•
•
•
•
•
•
identifying Wider Markets opportunities
feasibility
choice of commercial vehicle
business case development
implementation
partner selection.
The Unit also provides a review service to support internal approvals procedures.
In-depth support can be provided on complex and innovative Wider Markets Public Private Partnerships
through Development. Such projects are usually handled by the most appropriate transaction sector within
Partnerships UK (Science, Technology and Equipment, Property and Accommodation, Environment,
Transport and IT and Communication).
Contact the Wider Markets Unit at:
wider_markets@partnershipsuk.org.uk
Wider Markets Officers
All government departments and many agencies and non-department public bodies have Wider Markets
Officers. Wider Markets Officers provide a contact point for all internal and external inquiries about Wider
Markets opportunities and policy within the public body.
Wider Markets Officers
Contact Details
Army Training & Recruitment
Organisation (ATRA)
David Adams
(01980) 615522
idta@atra.army.mod.uk
Cabinet Office
Tara Jayaratne
(01256) 841 6129
tjayaratne@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
Companies House
Jack Mansfield
JMansfield@companieshouse.gov.uk
Court Service
Richard Pearson
(020) 7210 1731
richard.pearson@courtservice.gsi.gov.uk
Lara Gregory
(020) 7210 1731
lara.gregory@courtservice.gsi.gov.uk
HM Customs & Excise
Ellen Owen
(020) 7865 4928
ellen.owen@hmce.gsi.gov.uk
Dept for Culture,
Media & Sport
Kathy Hosker
(020) 7211 6348
kathy.hosker@culture.gov.uk
Neil O'Grady
(020) 7211 6350
neil.o'grady@culture.gsi.gov.uk
Dept for Education & Skills
Susan Meehan
(020) 7925 6348
susan.meehan@dfes.gsi.gov.uk
Dept of Environment,
Food & Rural Affairs
Jon Lowi
(020) 7270 8030
Dept of Finance &
Personnel (Northern Ireland)
Frank Boyle
(028) 9185 8189
frank.boyle@dfpni.gov.uk
Dept of Health
Peter Kendall
(non-NHS issues)
(020) 7972 2763
peter.kendall@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Lindsey Proctor
(NHS Issues)
(0113) 2546438
lindsey.proctor@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Dept for International
Development
Mark Lowcock
(020) 7023 0407
m-lowcock@dfid.gov.uk
Dept of Trade & Industry
Janice Humphries
(020) 7215 5742
janice.humphreys@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Dept for Transport
Jonathan Daley
(020) 7944 6955
jonathan.daley@odpm-dft.gsi.gov.uk
Dept for Work & Pensions
Paul Coppinger
(0113) 232 7247
paul.coppinger@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
jon.lowi@defra.gov.uk
Mike Hofman
(0113) 232 7136
mike.hofman@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Driver & Vehicle
Licensing Agency
Fiona Murphy
(01792) 782755
MurphyF.DVLAGP02.
DVLAGD01@dvla.gsi.gov.uk
Environment Agency
John Handley
(0117) 914 2893
john.handley@
environment-agency.gov.uk
FCO Services
Richard Beeson
(01908) 516 727
richard.beeson@fco.gov.uk
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
Bonny St John
(020) 7008 0927
Bonny.StJohn@fco.gov.uk
Health & Safety Executive
Bill Tomkins
(020) 7717 6454
Bill.Tomkins@hse.gsi.gov.uk
Highways Agency
Graham Burgess
graham.burgess@highways.gsi.gov.uk
HM Land Registry
Mick Lewis
(020) 7917 5918
mick.lewis@landreg.gsi.gov.uk
HM Treasury
Rob Brightwell
(020) 7270 1555
rob.brightwell@hm-treasury.gov.uk
Home Office
Pauline Griggs
(020) 7273 2747
pauline.griggs@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Rob McNeil
robert.mcneil@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Inland Revenue
Gary Waller
(020) 7438 7909
gary.waller@ir.gsi.gov.uk
Job Centre Plus
Julie Brown
julie.brown@jobcentreplus.gov.uk
Lord Chancellor's Dept
Stan Coats
(020) 7210 8631
Stan.Coats@lcdhq.gsi.gov.uk
Maritime & Coastguard
Agency
Lorraine Weller
(023) 8032 9197
Lorraine_Weller@mcga.gov.uk
Medicines Control Agency
Dr Gordon Munro
Gordon.Munro@mca.gsi.gov.uk
Meteorological Office
Kate Smith
(01344) 854142
kate.smith@metoffice.com
Ministry of Defence
Roger Paxton
(020) 7218 6099
finpol-rep1@defence.mod.uk
Ivor Lever
(020) 7218 5665
DBSA-AD4@defence.mod.uk
Marian Sparling
(020) 7218 0259
DBSA-43@defence.mod.uk
National Assembly
for Wales
Peter Jones
(029) 2082 3530
Peter.Jones@Wales.gsi.gov.uk
Office of National Statistics
James Denman
(020) 7533 6210
james.denman@ons.gov.uk
Office of the Deputy
Prime Minister
Jonathan Daley
(020) 7944 6955
jonathan.daley@odpm-dft.gsi.gov.uk
Office of the e-Envoy
Roger Burke-Hamilton
(020) 7276 3146
roger.burke-hamilton@
e-envoy.gsi.gov.uk
Ordnance Survey
Duncan Shiell
(023) 8079 2965
tdshiell@ordsvy.gov.uk
Public Records Office
Anne Kilminster
(020) 8392 5206
Anne.Kilminster@pro.gov.uk
Radiocommunications
Agency
Michael Goddard
(020) 7211 0030
mike.goddard@ra.gsi.gov.uk
Scottish Executive
Andrew Clearie
Andrew.Clearie@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
UK Hydrographic Office
David Featherstone
(01823) 723384
david.featherstone@ukho.gov.uk
Further assistance and advice on Wider Markets can be obtained from the Partnerships UK Website at:
www.partnershipsuk.org.uk/widermarkets/
widermkts.htm