Showing 541 - 560 of 2675 results

  2. Smarter food procurement in the public sector

    Report Value for money

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    The public sector could save annually over £220 million in food and catering costs by 2010-11, while raising nutritional standards and increasing sustainability, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, has reported today. In particular, there is significant scope for improvement by increasing joined up procurement, implementing good practice, enhancing the roles and […]

  4. Skills Funding Agency Accounts 2011-12

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    The Comptroller & Auditor General has given a qualified audit opinion on the 2011-12 accounts of the Skills Funding Agency in relation to how the Agency has accounted for further education colleges.

  6. Skills for Life: Progress in Improving Adult Literacy and Numeracy

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    The strategy to improve basic literacy and numeracy skills has helped over 5.7 million adults achieve a qualification or other specified learning aim at a cost of £5 billion, according to the National Audit Office. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Learning and Skills Council exceeded targets for the number of adults […]

  7. Skills for life: improving adult literacy and numeracy

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    Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today that the Department for Education and Skills has made a good start to its long-term strategy to improve the levels of adult literacy and numeracy in England, but there are more challenges ahead. While the Skills for Life Strategy has met its 2004 target, […]

  9. Ship Surveys and Inspections

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    The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), the principal government body for enforcing ship safety standards, makes a major contribution to the UK’s ship safety record, now one of the best in the world. However, according to a report to Parliament today by Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, the MCA can increase […]

  10. Shared services in the Research Councils

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    The implementation of a project to create a centre to streamline back-office functions for the seven research councils has so far not been good value for money and there is a risk that the councils may not recover their investment.

  11. Shared services in the Department for Transport and its agencies

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    Plans to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of services such as human resources, payroll and finance could cost the Department for Transport £81 million (by March 2015) rather than saving £57 million as originally expected. There will need to be substantial improvements in the shared service centre’s productivity if the Department’s original targets are to […]

  12. Shared service centres

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    Government’s programme to transfer back-office functions to two shared service centres has made savings but has not achieved value for money to date.

  15. Severance and wider benefits for senior BBC managers

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    Savings the BBC has made from senior manager redundancies exceed the cost of severance payments but it has too often breached its policies on severance payments for senior managers.

  16. Settling large tax disputes

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    Following review by a former tax judge, the NAO concludes that all five settlements were reasonable but there is concern over the settlement processes.

  17. Setting key targets for Executive Agencies: A Guide

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    This guidance has been developed to help those involved in the process of agreeing targets for Executive Agencies set challenging targets that will help deliver the outcomes and the standard of service delivery the public expect.

  18. Serving Time: Prisoner Diet and Exercise

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    Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today that significant improvements have been made in HM Prison Service’s catering arrangements resulting in financial savings and improved quality of service. Since 2003-04, savings of some £2.5 million have been made each year from expenditure on food and some £1.7 million a year on […]

  19. Services for people with rheumatoid arthritis

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    Too many people with rheumatoid arthritis are not being diagnosed or treated quickly enough, and some services for people with the disease are not coordinated enough, according to a report published today by the National Audit Office. Delay in treatment is detrimental to patients’ health, their quality of life and, with three quarters of people […]