Former health secretary Alan Milburn has called for charities to be given a bigger role in the delivery of public services.

Forum Response: Charity Commission

Caroline Cooke, head of regulatory policy at the Charity Commission, said: "Charities already play a vital role in delivering public services. We welcome any move to overcome one of the main barriers to charities in providing services. As longer term and more stable contracts are developed, we anticipate that more charities will be able to engage in increasingly sustainable service delivery. If this trend is to be successful, government will need to ensure charities have the opportunity to play a lead role in negotiating the terms of these contracts to ensure these properly meet the needs of their beneficiaries."

Forum Response: British Youth Council

Blossom Young, British Youth Council chairperson, said: "BYC welcomes Alan Milburn's suggestion for greater involvement by charities in public service delivery. We believe that young people should be involved in not only the delivery but also the design of public services.