But there is one other way in which our approach is radically different from that of the previous Government. Unlike them, we do not apply a one size fits all solution to bring about change in the public sector. Privatisation was their solution. Modernisation is ours. PPPs are central to that modernisation process but if they are to work effectively they need to be tailor made to the particular needs of each industry or service. .
Partnerships are different from privatisation.
Privatisation created listed private companies that, while they brought benefits, all too often had insufficient safeguards for consumers, employees and the wider community. Our approach to PPPs involves examining the needs of the customer, the competition in the sector and the levels of investment and management skills required to bring about change. The starting point is to define the specific outputs the Government is seeking to deliver and to determine whether and in what ways the private sector can make a contribution. The PPP is then designed to fit. . Differences in structure reflect different objectives and different circumstances.