We report on our investigation arising from the findings of Internal Audit for the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman regarding the management of conflicts of interest in procuring services during a fundamental change programme.
The C&AG has qualified the DWP’s Client Funds Account on the grounds of material errors in the calculations of child maintenance assessments. He has also given an adverse opinion on the truth and fairness of the outstanding maintenance arrears.
Public Health England has made a good start in supporting local authorities with their new responsibilities for public health but it is too soon to tell whether its approach is achieving value for money.
Amyas Morse, Comptroller and Auditor General, has for the first time provided a clear audit opinion on the financial statements of HM Courts and Tribunals Service. He has today reported to Parliament that HM Courts and Tribunals Service has significantly improved its ability to report on fines, penalties and confiscation orders.
The NAO has published a briefing paper on the Government’s identity assurance programme, which is aiming to create a safe and convenient way for people to access government services online.
A plan by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills to reduce complexity and administrative burdens in the further education and skills sector, despite improving some processes, has had only limited impact on providers’ costs.
We focus on specific concerns about the financial support provided to students attending some alternative HE colleges and other providers.
The Ministry of Defence has made significant improvements in its management of and accounting for assets held on its inventory systems. However, the Department recognizes that it still faces significant challenges.
The NAO looked at issues originally identified in an earlier report.
The Department for Education is not meeting its objectives to improve the quality of care and the stability of placements for children in care.
The DWP has reset Universal Credit on a sounder basis but at significant cost, by extending the time for implementation and choosing a more expensive approach.
HM Treasury and HMRC do not keep track of tax reliefs intended to change behaviour, or adequately report to Parliament on whether tax reliefs work as expected.
The MoJ is on track to make significant and quick reductions in its spending on civil legal aid. But it is less clear to what extent it has met its objective of targeting legal aid at those who need it most.
Local authorities have worked hard to manage reductions in government funding, but the DCLG needs to be better informed about the situation across England.
Local authorities have worked hard to manage reductions in government funding, but the DCLG needs to be better informed about the situation across England.
We examine the Education Funding Agency’s oversight of the Durand Academy Trust’s compliance with guidance on conflicts of interest and related party transactions.
The Better Care Fund is an innovative idea but the quality of early preparation and planning did not match the scale of the ambition. Current plans forecast £314m of savings for the NHS rather than the £1 billion in early planning assumptions.
Financial risk is increasing in NHS trusts and foundation trusts. Those in severe financial difficulty continue to rely on cash support from the Department of Health.
The Environment Agency has improved the cost effectiveness and prioritization of its flood risk spending but current spending is insufficient to meet many flood defence maintenance needs.
The Department is not able to demonstrate the effectiveness of how it and others intervene in underperforming maintained schools and academies.