Tamzen Isacsson, Chief Executive of the Management Consultancies Association (MCA), said:
“The National Audit Office’s report highlights the vital role consultants play in helping government deliver complex projects and drive innovation across our public services. We welcome the NAO’s recognition of the value consultants bring in specialist areas such as digital transformation, cybersecurity, and organisational change and the significant contribution our industry makes to the public sector.
“We believe ethics and integrity must be at the heart of our profession. Through our Consulting Excellence principles and the Chartered Management Consultant Accreditation (ChMC), MCA members are committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and transparency. Every engagement must be conducted with integrity, aligned to government priorities, and designed to deliver long-term value for taxpayers
“We fully support the call for greater transparency, value for money, and robust oversight in consultancy engagements, and stand ready to work in partnership with government to ensure high standards and effective knowledge transfer. By partnering effectively, we can help government organisations achieve better outcomes for taxpayers while equipping civil servants with the skills they need to meet future challenges. We recognise the financial constraints the current administration is facing and share its ambition to improve public sector productivity and innovation – enabling government to do more with less using specialist expertise and world class capabilities.
“We also encourage government to continue investing in training and development across the wider public sector as it embeds the best practices set out in the Consultancy Playbook and unlocks the full potential of the Procurement Act. This includes enhancing the role of SMEs in driving innovation and growth through public sector procurement.
“Recent examples of successful projects delivered in partnership with government showcased at the MCA Awards 2025 include overhauling public transport, embedding AI in government practices to help generate growth and improving healthcare for millions of patients. In addition, the Chartered Management Consultant Accreditation (ChMC) supported by many leading firms across the industry ensures clients receive the highest quality and most qualified consulting support.
“The UK consulting sector is a great British success story – a thriving force in the economy driving growth and jobs and recognised across the world as a centre of excellence. We encourage the government to continue championing our sector and home and abroad as set out in the Industrial Strategy.”