The National Audit Office (NAO) works on behalf of Parliament and the taxpayer to hold government to account for the use of public money and to help public services improve performance. The relationship with Parliament is central to the roles of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) and NAO.
We look to place our skills at the service of Parliament as a whole, supporting the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), other select committees from both Houses and individual Members in their scrutiny of public expenditure and service delivery.
Our work
The C&AG is a statutory Officer of the House of Commons and the results of our work are presented to Parliament by Order of the House of Commons.
Our reports
We published over 60 major reports to Parliament and audited some 430 accounts to Parliament in 2013/14. We also provided 20 Select Committees with a wide range of support in addition to our core work for PAC. Our latest Select Committee reports include:
- A Short Guide to the BBCThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and SportThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to Local AuthoritiesThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to the Department for Communities and Local GovernmentThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to the Foreign and Commonwealth OfficeThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to the Cabinet OfficeThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to the Department for International DevelopmentThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short guide to RegulationThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to the Ministry of DefenceThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial StrategyThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- Short guide for Environmental protection and sustainabilityThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to the Department of Health and NHS EnglandThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to the Government Office for ScienceThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to the Department for EducationThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- A Short Guide to the Department for Work and PensionsThe NAO is publishing a suite of short guides for the new Parliament, one for each government department and a selection of cross-government issues, to assist House of Commons select committees and members of Parliament.
- Memorandum: Service Family Accommodation updateThis memorandum has been prepared to support the Committee of Public Accounts’ consideration of the Ministry of Defence’s provision of accommodation to its service personnel.
- Briefing for the Women and Equalities Committee: The Equality and Human Rights CommissionThis briefing looks at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (the Commission). It provides information on the Commission’s governance framework, strategy, financial position, performance, and issues and challenges it faces. The briefing has been prepared in response to a request from the Women and Equalities Committee.
- Memorandum for Environmental Audit Committee: Waste and Recycling reviewThis memorandum has been prepared to support the Environmental Audit Committee to consider the decision taken by Defra in 2010, to withdraw the provisional allocation of PFI credits from seven (out of 18) PFI projects.
- Sustainability in the spending reviewThis briefing responds to a request from the Environmental Audit Committee that we review how the 2015 spending review took account of environmental issues.
- Memorandum: The Future of Jobcentre Plus InquiryThis memorandum has been prepared to inform the Work and Pensions Committee’s inquiry into the future of Jobcentre Plus (JCP). As part of its inquiry, the Committee is considering the likely effects of planned welfare policy changes on JCP footfall and the configuration of JCP offices. This memorandum describes the current JCP estate and summarises some of the trends in unemployment benefit caseloads in recent years.
- Service Family AccommodationThis memorandum has been prepared to support the Committee of Public Accounts’ consideration of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) provision of accommodation to its service personnel.
- Departmental sustainability overview: Department for TransportThis briefing responds to a request from the Environmental Audit Committee to review sustainability within the Department for Transport.
- Memorandum: Extending the Right to BuyThis memorandum has been prepared to support the Committee of Public Accounts to consider the approach taken by DCLG in assessing the impacts and value for money arising from aspects of its Housing and Planning Bill.
- Trends in total UK Official Development Assistance and the Department for International Development’s expenditureThe NAO’s memorandum, for the International Development Committee, provides an overview of trends in UK spending on aid.
View our full list of Select Committee reports.
We produce performance briefings to assist Select Committees’ annual oversight of departments’ performance, the latest of which include:
- Departmental Overview 2015-16: Home OfficeThis Departmental Overview looks at the Home Office and summarises its performance during the year ended March 2016, together with our recent reports on it.
- Departmental Overview 2015-16: Department of HealthThis Departmental Overview looks at the Department of Health (DH) and summarises its performance during the year ended March 2016, together with our recent reports on it.
- Departmental Overview 2015-16: Cabinet OfficeThis Departmental Overview looks at the Cabinet Office and summarises its performance during the year ended March 2016, together with our recent reports on it.
- Departmental Overview 2015-16: Department for Work and PensionsThis Departmental Overview looks at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and summarises its performance during the year ended March 2016, together with our recent reports on it.
- Departmental Overview 2015-16: Foreign & Commonwealth OfficeThis Departmental Overview looks at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and summarises its performance during the year ended March 2016, together with our recent reports on it.
View our full list of departmental overviews.
To keep up to date with all our publications follow the links below:
- Publications – our reports and press notices
- Work in progress – our upcoming work
MPs and researchers who wish to be added to our press notice list should email our press office at pressoffice@nao.gsi.gov.uk
Enquiries from MPs
We also deal with a complex and wide range of enquiries from Members of Parliament which on occasion may lead to a full value for money report.