The Office of Fair Trading has improved its operations following recommendations on maintaining competition in markets made by the National Audit Office and Committee of Public Accounts in 2005 and 2006. According to an NAO progress report published today, the OFT now needs to concentrate its efforts on strengthening the skills and experience of its […]
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), the body with responsibility for the police complaints system, has improved its performance against targets, in spite of a significant increase in its workload. In a report out today the National Audit Office finds, however, that the IPCC needs to do more to get feedback from complainants on how […]
HM Revenue & Customs achieved a return of around £4.50 for every £1 spent on tackling the hidden economy in 2006-07 and recent campaigns to encourage people into the formal economy have achieved much higher returns. But, according to the National Audit Office, the penalties the Department imposes when it detects people in the hidden […]
The Department for Work and Pensions has made good progress in tackling benefit fraud, which is estimated to have fallen from an estimated £2 billion in 2000-01 to £800 million in 2006-07, a substantial achievement by its staff, although definitional changes have helped. Tackling benefit fraud is inherently difficult as it is in the nature […]
The Environment Agency has made a number of improvements in the management of flood risk since 2001. Despite this, the Agency has not met its target to maintain 63 per cent of England’s flood defence systems in their target condition. A report out today by the National Audit Office highlights a number of improvements to […]
The Assets Recovery Agency was set up without a feasibility study and has failed to achieve its targets for the recovery of criminal assets and for becoming self financing by 2005-06. To date the Agency has spent £65 million and recovered assets worth £23 million. Although the Agency now expects to become self-financing by 2009-10, […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today on the effectiveness of Postcomm’s regulation of quality of service. His report, which follows up on his 2002 report Opening the Post, finds that the overall value for money of regulation will be improved as it reduces burdens on Royal Mail while enhancing consumer […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today that he has qualified his audit opinion on the accounts of the Community Fund for 2004-05. The Community Fund (now operating as the Big Lottery Fund together with the New Opportunities Fund) have reported that, in September 2004 they identified a number […]
Since its creation in 2001, the Public Guardianship Office has improved the quality of information it receives on the stewardship of the financial affairs of people who lose mental capacity. It has begun to target its scrutiny, reducing the regulatory burden on some receivers deemed to be a lower risk, and in some cases where […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today on the progress made by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in implementing recommendations made by the Committee of Public Accounts following the 2001 outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease. Good progress has been made on most of the recommendations made […]
HM Customs and Excise have increased their efforts to tackle losses from fraud and error on VAT, which in 2002-2003 they estimated at £11.9 billion. This was an increase over the £10.6 billion they estimate to have been lost in 2001-2002, but there are signs of improvement with a reduction in one of the most […]
There is a pressing need for the Department of Health, Strategic Health Authorities and NHS trusts to improve their management of suspensions of clinical staff, according to the head of the National Audit Office, Sir John Bourn. Today’s report to Parliament, while acknowledging the paramount importance of protecting patient safety, highlights concerns about the length […]
Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, told Parliament today that the costs of compensation claims paid by the Ministry of Defence are on the increase and that more can be done to keep down the cost of handling claims and to improve the service to claimants. Compensation and legal costs have risen […]
Oftel has taken steps to improve consumer awareness in the fixed line telecommunications market to help consumers take advantage of the choices available, according to a report presented to Parliament today by Sir John Bourn, the head of the National Audit Office. But the report recognises that while some consumers will choose not to switch […]
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has improved its protection of consumers following a November 2000 report by the Committee of Public Accounts, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, said today. He also stated that recent changes to legislation should strengthen its work further. But the OFT will need to be vigorous […]
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 […]
The Department for Work and Pensions have made good progress in tackling benefit fraud and estimating the level of fraud and error in key benefits, according to the National Audit Office. By March 2002 the Department had cut the estimated level of fraud and error in Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance by 24 per cent […]
Head of the National Audit Office Sir John Bourn today reported to Parliament that fraudulent and other irregular payments made under the Individual Learning Accounts (ILA) scheme had been estimated as likely to total some £97 million. As a result he has qualified his audit opinion on the Department for Education and Skill’s Resource Account […]
A report by Sir John Bourn, head of the NAO, was published today with the Inland Revenue Resource Account and the Trust Statement account of tax and NI collected. Sir John confirmed that the Inland Revenue continued to secure an effective check over the assessment, collection and allocation of tax during the year 2001-02. During […]
The innovative Individual Learning Accounts (ILA) scheme was aimed at widening participation in learning and helping to overcome financial barriers faced by learners, particularly amongst those who lack skills and qualifications. The scheme, which subsidised the costs of appropriate courses, was implemented too quickly and inadequately planned. The Department for Education and Skills had no […]