Former Audit Commission chief executive and NHS deputy chief executive Sir Andrew Foster is to chair a commission on the future of public services. The Commission on 2020 Public Services said it is to define the principles of a post-Beveridge framework for public services in an era of “hard fiscal choices”.

Issues it will look at include how public services should be organised and paid for, what sort of public services will be needed in the future, how people can be given power and choice over public services and how rights and responsibilities should be distributed between the state, society and citizens.

Final report

The commission’s board includes Nick Bosanquet, Imperial College professor of health policy and director of the think tank Reform, Dr Foster Intelligence chair of the Executive Board Tim Kelsey, King’s College London professor of public sector management Alison Wolf, South Tyneside council chief executive Irene Lucas and Ipsos MORI chair Ben Page.

A final report is expected to be published in the summer of 2010, after the next election, as a new government focuses on the next spending round and while Britain is expected to be emerging from recession.