Press Release - Report of the Comptroller and Auditor
General on the Civil Superannuation accounts 2010-11
31 January 2012
Amyas Morse, the Comptroller and Auditor
General (C&AG), has qualified his audit opinion on the 2010-11
Civil Superannuation accounts which report the financial results of
the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) and a number of
other small public sector pension schemes.
The C&AG has qualified his audit opinion
in two respects:
- A qualification relating to the regularity of benefit payments.
The audit sought assurance that benefit payments made by the PCSPS
were in accordance with the Scheme rules, but the Cabinet Office
has not retained or been able to provide the NAO with sufficient
records ahead of the statutory deadline to enable confirmation that
all pensioners or other beneficiaries have received the correct
payments.
- A limitation of scope relating to the truth and fairness of the
valuation of the pension liability. Given the concern over the
records held, the C&AG sought assurance that the estimated
pension liability of £136 billion, based on the Scheme’s membership
records, was reasonable. The evidence presented to him within the
statutory timetable was insufficient to support, in all material
respects, the estimate of the liability.
Most pensions awarded under the PCSPS are
linked to a member’s length of qualifying service and salary. In a
quarter of the cases (by value) tested by the NAO, insufficient
evidence was provided to confirm that the correct payment had been
made.
In future, ensuring the systematic retention
and maintenance of members’ records which need to be held over
several decades should be a priority for the Scheme.
Notes for Editors
- Press notices and reports are available
from the date of publication on the NAO website, which is at
www.nao.org.uk. Hard copies can be obtained from The Stationery
Office on 0845 702 3474.
- The Comptroller and Auditor General, Amyas
Morse, is the head of the National Audit Office which employs some
880 staff. He and the NAO are totally independent of Government. He
certifies the accounts of all Government departments and a wide
range of other public sector bodies; and he has statutory authority
to report to Parliament on the economy, efficiency and
effectiveness with which departments and other bodies have used
their resources.
Press Notice 06/12
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Office:
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