Inspection is one of the oldest forms of governmental influence and control. Yet the process had been largely neglected in studies of British government. Originally published in 1981, this study examines two of its major, long-standing aims: to enforce statutory provisions and to ensure defined standards of performance.

At a time of growing interest in the performance of public authorities, Inspectorates in British Government showed that enforcement by central departments and local authorities had greatly expanded in relation to efficiency inspection. Does inspection still have a role in British government? Are there other more effective ways of achieving its objectives? These are some of the critical issues discussed by Gerald Rhodes.

Mr Rhodes examines the origin and development of inspection in four significant areas of government: trading standards, factories and mines, schools and pollution control. He shows that most enforcement inspectorates are severely constrained in using powers granted to them by Parliament, but there had been little attempt to assess the effectiveness of this form of inspection generally or of the particular methods employed – still less to consider possible alternatives.

Mr Rhodes calls for a more searching analysis of the whole inspection process and alternatives to it. Without this, he argues, inspectors will find increasingly difficulty in explaining and justifying their work to a public which is becoming more and more critical of the results.

Inspectorates in British Government will appeal to inspectors, policy-makers in central and local governments, teachers and students of public policy and administration and all those concerned with the regulatory process – not least the citizen, who must live with the consequences.