Sir John Bourn, head of the NAO, today published a report on the Inland Revenue’s Resource Account and Trust Statement account of tax and national insurance collected, for the year 2002-2003. Sir John confirmed that overall the Inland Revenue continued to secure an effective check over the assessment, collection and allocation of tax during the […]
Government forms filled in by citizens can be made shorter and much easier to use leading to better access to services and considerable efficiency gains, Sir John Bourn, the head of the NAO, reported to Parliament today. Forms remain essential to the delivery of a wide range of government services. If forms are well designed […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, told Parliament today that in recent years the Ministry of Defence have produced fewer trained pilots than the Armed Services require, and some 45 a year (18 per cent) fewer than needed have entered operational service. This situation has contributed to a shortfall in operational pilots […]
It is important that organisations work well together and that departments tackle the barriers to joint working so that long lasting improvements are made to the quality of services that the public receive, Sir John Bourn, the Head of the NAO, reported to Parliament today. The report evaluates the achievements of 5 initiatives and highlights […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the NAO, today published a report on HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC’s) accounts for the year 2005-2006. HMRC collected total revenue of some £404 billion. For the fourth year running, Sir John has qualified his opinion on the Trust Statement in respect of tax credits because of the likely level […]
Winding-up the affairs of The New Millennium Experience Company Limited (NMEC) was handled in a professional way, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, told Parliament today. Getting NMEC into the position where it was able to go in a solvent state into voluntary liquidation on 18 December 2001 was a major task. […]
This briefing has been prepared for the Treasury Select Committee to provide an overview of the work and performance of HM Treasury in the financial year 2008-09 and subsequent months. The briefing takes as its basis the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2008-09 (HC 611), drawing upon the work of the National Audit Office together […]
Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, told Parliament today that although the Private Finance Initiative deal for the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link was in many respects unique, the lessons to be learned from the project’s near collapse are not. The report makes three key points. In negotiating with the […]
This briefing has been prepared for the Justice Committee as an overview of the performance of the Ministry of Justice in 2008-09 and subsequent months.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, today published his report to Parliament on the results of his examination of the Public Health Laboratory Service Board Accounts for 1998-99. Sir John issued a report to Parliament on the account concerning the breakdown of financial controls following the contracting out by the Board of […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office (NAO), has reported to Parliament on the outcome of financial audit work undertaken by the NAO in central government over the past year. Today’s report examines the progress made by government departments in a number of important areas – most notably the development of corporate governance […]
The New Electricity Trading Arrangements (NETA), a complex project to reform the way that electricity is traded in England and Wales, has been associated with a fall in the wholesale price of electricity, but the impact on the bills paid by many domestic consumers has been more limited, according to a report published to Parliament […]
A major initiative to secure better quality care by the NHS and improve patients’ confidence in its services has made early progress and is already delivering benefits. However, according to a report by the National Audit Office, progress in implementing ‘clinical governance’ is patchy, varying between and within NHS trusts and between the components of […]
This briefing has been prepared for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee to provide an overview of the work and performance of the Department in the financial year 2008-09 and subsequent months.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today that the Government’s investment in space, coordinated by the British National Space Centre (BNSC) Partnership, has a number of strengths, including lean, user-focused programmes built up from wide consultation, many of which have produced important scientific and commercial benefits. There is scope, however, to […]
This briefing has been prepared for the Public Administration Select Committee to provide an overview of the work and performance of the Cabinet Office in the year 2008-09 and subsequent months.
This briefing has been prepared for the Culture, Media and Sport Committee to provide an overview of the work and performance of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the financial year 2008-09 and subsequent months.
Effective measures are now in place to ensure that blood is safe for transfusions. That is one of the main findings in a National Audit Office report into the National Blood Service. The report also concludes that, despite the long time taken by the Service since its creation in 1993 to make the transition from […]
This briefing has been prepared for the Work and Pensions Select Committee to provide an overview of the work and performance of the Department for Work and Pensions in the financial year 2008-09
and subsequent months.
The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has a good track record, nationally and internationally, in protecting public health and in ensuring that medicines are in general safe, of good quality and effective if used properly. But, according to a National Audit Office report, it needs to do more to improve the quality of information and advice […]