The first independent report into operational innovation in central government has found that, although a deep rooted culture of risk aversion is being tackled and improvements in quality and efficiency of service are being made, government bodies could still secure greater benefits and efficiencies with more innovative and progressive approaches. The NAO report published today […]
Shared service centres in the NHS and HM Prison Service are on course to deliver substantial financial savings. But a report out today by the National Audit Office found that central government was initially slow to adopt shared services. While the momentum has picked up it is not clear that the shared services initiative is […]
The Department for Trade and Industry successfully transferred risk in the PFI contract to build and manage new facilities for the National Physical Laboratory and protected the taxpayer from bearing the majority of the costs of the project’s problems. Delays during the construction of the new facilities meant that the DTI did not secure the […]
There is no collective understanding of what type of oversight is appropriate and cost effective for different types of arm’s length bodies.
The Department for International Development’s aid programmes have helped the rural poor in developing countries. But poverty in rural areas must be substantially reduced if DFID is to meet its targets, according to a report out today by the National Audit Office. More than 1.1 billion people worldwide are living in extreme poverty. Around 75 […]
The Whole of Government Accounts provide a unique perspective owing to their reach and approach to measuring the government’s financial performance and position.
Local authorities have kept up levels of capital spending but face pressure to meet debt costs and maintain investment in existing assets.
Under the Wider Markets Initiative government departments could provide real gains to the public sector, according to the NAO. The initiative encourages the public sector to make fuller use of core public assets in an enterprising way – developing and selling new goods and services. Where undertaken, such new activities are working well. The benefits […]
The UK is committed, under the Climate Change Act 2008, to cutting carbon
emissions by at least 34 per cent by 2020 and by at least 80 per cent by 2050
compared to a 1990 baseline.
The MoD has developed a strategy that identifies the estate it needs and the 25% of its estate it can dispose of by 2040. However, the strategy and current funding levels allow only for a partial reversal of the decline in the condition of the remaining estate. There is a significant risk that the poor condition of the estate will affect the Department’s ability to provide the defence capability needed.
Each year the 384 further education colleges in England spend £1.6 billion on a range of goods and services from books and stationery to examination fees and energy bills. Some colleges recognise the benefits of introducing more efficient and effective processes, but many need to improve their processes substantially, and could contribute to plans to […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today on the progress that departments and their agencies have made to their construction delivery performance since his 2001 report “Modernising Construction”. He concluded that there had been a considerable improvement in completing projects to time and cost and that real savings were being delivered, […]
The first sale of government shares in the Royal Bank of Scotland in August 2015 was well planned and organised and represented value for money.
The Pensions Regulator has been effective in establishing clear links between its statutory objectives and how it goes about meeting them, and has made good progress in addressing the problems left by the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (Opra). The good progress has been acknowledged by the Pensions Regulator stakeholders: 78 per cent of whom believe […]
Probation services have been restructured on time and within cost targets during a period of major change but operational problems and risks to further service transformation need to be resolved if re-offending levels are to reduce.
The BBC Trust today published an independent review it had commissioned from the National Audit Office (NAO): The BBC’s Preparedness for Digital Switchover which looks in particular at how the BBC plans to meet its obligations set out under the Royal Charter and Agreement.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has established the first comprehensive programme to clean up the UK’s first generation of public sector civil nuclear facilities. A report out today by the National Audit Office shows that the Authority has made progress but will need to tackle significant challenges if it is to ensure a step change in […]
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and 24 of the organisations it sponsors spend over £40 million a year on 95 offices across England. In a report to Parliament today Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, says that better management of this office accommodation could lead to savings. The Department sponsors […]
Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today that single Community Programme funding is leading to greater involvement of deprived communities in influencing local decisions but more needs to be done to reach all sectors and groups. Thanks to simple and straightforward grant application procedures the Programme has been successful […]
Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, today reported to Parliament on the qualification of his audit opinion on the House of Commons Members Resource Accounts for 2005-06. Notes to Editors Press notices and reports are available from the date of publication on the NAO website at www.nao.gov.uk. Hard copies can be obtained […]