Sir John Bourn, Head of the NAO, told Parliament today that the Ministry of Defence (the MOD) is making progress towards delivering an Initial Operating Capability for the Apache helicopter in August 2004 but that risks remained. The MOD is buying 67 Apache helicopters through a £3 billion prime contract with Westland Helicopters Ltd. The […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today on the difficulties faced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in outsourcing elements of the 2001 Census. The Census is expected to deliver good quality population data within the overall budget of £207 million. However, the appointment of professional advisors was […]
The Ministry of Defence has made significant progress in reducing stocks but there is considerable scope for further reductions. Reducing stock should lead to financial savings, Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today. If the MOD disposed of 10 per cent of its slow moving stock, it could save […]
MOD expects to secure significant benefits as a result of letting a PFI contract for the redevelopment of its Head Office Main Building in Whitehall according to Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office in a report presented to Parliament today. As a result of letting a 30 year PFI contract with a […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, has published his report on the operation and wind up of Teesside Development Corporation. The Comptroller and Auditor General’s report is in response to concerns raised with him by three Members of Parliament for the North East of England and a former contractor of the Corporation. […]
Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, told Parliament today that the Joint Services Command and Staff College was a success story and had obtained value for money when using the PFI to procure its permanent home. The Ministry of Defence did well to establish the College but there is scope to improve […]
Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, told Parliament today that the funding competition used to finance the refurbishment of the Treasury building in Whitehall saved the taxpayer £13 million. The competition resulted in savings of 7% of the cost of the deal over the lifetime of the project and assisted greatly in […]
The National Probation Service Information Systems Strategy (NPSISS) network is operating in 38 out of the 42 new local probation areas in England and Wales. Nevertheless, there were serious problems in the development of a case recording and management system, known as CRAMS, leading to its use by a minority of probation service areas. During […]
How government departments can get better value for money from the £600 million they spend each year on professional services from suppliers of specialist expertise advice and assistance is highlighted today in a National Audit Office report. It concludes that value for money improvements of at least 10 per cent (£60 million) are achievable. […]
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 […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, today reported to Parliament on how the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)1 successfully avoided millennium-compliance problems when replacing its computerised vehicles system, although the project took twice the anticipated timescale to complete. The report details the project management problems encountered by the DVLA in replacing […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, today reported to Parliament on how the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)1 successfully avoided millennium-compliance problems when replacing its computerised vehicles system, although the project took twice the anticipated timescale to complete. The report details the project management problems encountered by the DVLA in […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today that the financial analysis* carried out for the London Underground Public Private Partnerships cannot, on its own, be expected to show clearly which public or private sector option for managing and funding the Tube will provide better value for money. Sir John […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today that the Radiocommunications Agency* has successfully entered into a partnership with CMG plc**, a global Information and Communications Technology group, which could result in significant financial savings. In June 1998 the Agency and CMG plc established a joint venture company, Radio Spectrum […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, today reported to Parliament that in October 1998 the National Museum of Wales made an irregular payment to Mr Tim Arnold, their departing Assistant Director (Resource Management).
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 […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, today reported to Parliament that the Department for International Development have made a major contribution to easing the humanitarian crisis arising from the problems in Kosovo. And there are lessons for the future, for example in the way the Department plan for emergencies and manage their […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today on the £635 million contract awarded to Siemens Business Services (SBS) to process transactions and provide a service to National Savings’ 30 million customers. The partnership forms a vital part of a programme of modernisation and transformation which aims to provide better […]
The Inland Revenue’s strategic partnership with Electronic Data Systems Limited (EDS) has been successful in helping the Department deliver significant changes in taxation policy to demanding timetables, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today. The Department and EDS run the contract as a partnership, recognising the need for both […]
Scottish Enterprise’s Skillseekers programme had made considerable progress in delivering Vocational Qualifications for young people at reducing unit cost. There are, however, a number of ways that Scottish Enterprise and Local Enterprise Companies (LECs) can build on their successes, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to the Scottish Parliament today. Skillseekers […]