ICAS and the public sector

A significant number of ICAS members work either for or with public sector organisations.

ICAS actively contributes to developments in policy and financial reporting in the public sector. Our Public Sector Panel consists of members from across the public services who volunteer their time to help shape ICAS' views. Our remit includes European, international, Scottish and UK issues.

To find out more about what we do and say on public sector issues, please go to icas.com and type 'public sector' into the search engine. You will find:

• Articles
• Consultation responses
• Guidance
• Research
• Thought leadership

Public Sector Panel Remit

To contribute to the development of public / not for profit sector policy and practice in the areas of financial reporting, auditing, accounting, financial control and other topical areas relating to the management, funding and delivery of public services.

This includes considering national and international policy and approaches, as well as their application whether within a particular jurisdiction and/or within relevant sectors, such as local government, central government, health, housing, further and higher education.

Policy positions

Our public sector policy positions are set out below, with overarching Policy Leadership Board policy positions shown in brackets:

• A proportionate approach to regulation, by and of public sector bodies, and alignment with overarching economic priorities to complement a private sector led recovery (better regulation)
• Simplification and greater transparency of public sector reporting, including matters of public interest, to hold decision makers to account more effectively (transparency and accountability)

This is supported by:

• Minimising over-specialism and sharing cross-sector good practice where appropriate
• Alignment with one international accounting framework for both the profit and not for profit sectors unless there is a clear, justifiable need of a material public sector specific matter which is not covered by the IASB
• A principles based approach to addressing public sector accounting differences in a proportionate and targeted manner (principles not rules)