In a report to Parliament today, head of the NAO Sir John Bourn recognised that the outsourcing of the Department of Social Security’s medical assessment service had reduced costs and speeded up the turnaround of work. But the standard of medical assessments and the quality of service to benefit customers need to improve. The service […]
Most government departments are continuing to produce high quality accounts and are presenting them for audit in a timely fashion. However, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, had to issue qualified opinions on seven out of 54 sets of departmental resource accounts in 2005-06, compared with two out of 54 sets in […]
This memorandum has been prepared for the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee to provide information on the Department for Work and Pensions Information Technology Programmes.
The welfare cap is encouraging a greater understanding of spending on some benefits and tax credits across government, but it is important that processes for managing the cap are reliable.
Clarification Point 2 in the C&AG introduction (page 26), should read: “From April 2003 an additional one per cent National Insurance contribution has been collected and allocated directly to the National Health Service, bringing the total payments to the NHS to some £16.8 billion in 2004-2005 (£14.9 billion in 2003-2004).” Head of the National Audit […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the NAO, today issued his audit certificate on HM Revenue & Customs 2006-07 Trust Statement of revenues. Sir John was able to issue an unqualified audit opinion on the truth and fairness of the Trust Statement, but in common with 2005-06, issued a qualified opinion on regularity due to levels […]
The government’s approach to managing the risks to schools’ financial sustainability cannot be judged to be effective or providing value for money until more progress is made.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today that payments, amounting to £233,000, which the Public Health Laboratory Service Board made to certain members of staff in 2004-05 did not comply with Treasury guidelines. In the course of closing PHLS Media Services, the Board retained a small number of individuals […]
It is important that the Government ensures its compliance programme reflects the changing risks within the labour market, and maintains its progress in ensuring all employers pay the minimum wage.
The Ministry of Defence’s privatisation of the defence technology business QinetiQ safeguarded the viability of a business of national strategic importance and generated significant proceeds for the taxpayer. However, the NAO believes the taxpayer could have received more money from the deal. Risks remain which the MoD must manage carefully if long term value for […]
Head of the National Audit Office Sir John Bourn today reported to Parliament on the National Insurance Fund (GB) account 2003-2004. This account is the responsibility of the Inland Revenue and benefit payments are made from the Fund by the Department for Work and Pensions. Sir John has qualified the National Insurance Fund Account in […]
Head of the National Audit Office, Sir John Bourn, reported today that the Government had made good progress in the development of policy for older people, but should build on this, in particular, by publishing an overall strategy to co-ordinate work across departments, and by ensuring better feedback to older people on how services are […]
The Department for Work and Pensions have taken reasonable and appropriate action to deal with the Inherited SERPS problem and have made considerable progress in improving their organisation and systems for dealing with the public, according to a report presented to Parliament today by Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office. The provision […]
Income tax is processed accurately in the majority of cases by HM Revenue & Customs, but errors in processing lead to the wrong amount of tax being paid by around 1 million taxpayers, the NAO says today. In a new report to Parliament, the spending watchdog points out that HMRC accurately calculates the right amount […]
Head of the National Audit Office Sir John Bourn today reported to Parliament on the National Insurance Fund account for 2002-03. His examination indicates that, in total, the level of fraud and error in National Insurance Fund benefits was significantly less than one per cent of expenditure. Sir John was therefore able to give an […]
Overall spending on discretionary local welfare support by central and local government has reduced since April 2013. The consequences of this gap in provision are not understood.
The Inland Revenue face real threats of fraud and continued efforts are required to tackle the problem, according to a National Audit Office report to Parliament published today. It is important that the Revenue have a clear view of the resources and approaches they are going to use to tackle those risks. They should increase […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today that, halfway into the three-year efficiency programme, government departments have reported £13.3 billion in annual efficiency savings, 62 per cent of the £21.5 billion target. But departments’ progress towards achieving their individual targets varies, indicating that some departments still have a lot […]
The head of the National Audit Office, Sir John Bourn, today reported to Parliament that the Department for Work and Pensions and their contractor Schlumberger have improved arrangements for the medical assessment of benefit claims since the National Audit Office reported on this subject in 2001. They have improved the speed of processing, the standard […]
Substantial savings, in addition to the significant improvements already achieved, could be made by more efficient management and purchasing of postal services by the public sector, according to a report by Parliament’s spending watchdog. The National Audit Office has found that an estimated £31 million a year could be saved across the public sector by […]