"We welcome the Efficiency and Reform Group’s
twin priorities of improving the efficiency of central government
and reforming public service provision. However, the proof of the
pudding is in the eating and we look forward to evaluating how
these initiatives perform in practice."
Amyas Morse, head of the National
Audit Office, 25 March 2011
The National Audit Office has today published a review of the
developments to date associated with the Efficiency and Reform
Group and its main responsibilities.
In May 2010, the Government announced the formation of the
Efficiency and Reform Group within the Cabinet Office. The Group
brings many of the functions of a typical corporate headquarters
together in one place in the centre of government. Its priorities
are improving efficiency in central government, and wider reform of
the way public services are provided, in order to make the spending
reductions required by the 2010 Spending Review.
The Group is responsible for various new initiatives which are
designed to increase efficiency, make savings and improve value for
money. These include renegotiating contracts with major suppliers;
implementation of a centralised procurement process; a review of
major government projects; and a new Property Unit.
The NAO’s review details various challenges that the Group
faces. It is too soon for the NAO to reach a judgment on its
success in improving the value for money of government overall. The
review is intended to provide an objective baseline against which
progress made by the Group can be assessed by the NAO and the
Public Accounts Committee.
Publication details:
HC: 887, 2010-2011
ISBN: 9780102969634