Academic to advise Cabinet on key spending decisions

Professor Chris Bovis, from Hull University’s Law School, will advise Ministers on public procurement and spending after passing on his knowledge to several influential committees – including advising the Transport Select Committee on strategic procurement of rolling stock and rail infrastructure.

He is already preparing a report which will go to the Cabinet at the end of the month.

This will look at the way other industrialised nations such as France and Germany approach their own spending. Two questionnaires have also been developed by the academic for business leaders to look at the cost of different projects and understand the impact of the spending.

The professor was earlier this year appointed by the EU Commission and United Nations to lead a training scheme for national judges, high-level public sector executives, ministries and governments.

He said: “It’s challenging and time consuming but it’s a privilege to be able to disseminate my research into cutting edge issues of policy making. The Government is committed to promoting growth – this is all linked to industrial policy, manufacturing and demand from the public sector. Procurement is an essential component of growth in every economy in Europe, around the world and in the UK.”