” MOD expects to secure significant benefits from this PFI deal which will help its accommodation arrangements in London. This was a large and complex project and my report sets out a number of important learning points relevant to other PFI deals under development.”
“The process of winding-up the affairs of The New Millennium Experience Company was extremely challenging, particularly given the complexity and scale of the operation. But I am pleased to say that the preparations required before the appointment of the liquidators were accomplished successfully and, on entering voluntary liquidation, NMEC was in better financial shape than when I last reported.”
“The elimination of poverty is one of the greatest challenges we face and the Department for International Development have a well-established and leading role in helping to meet this challenge. Performance management is a key factor for the Department in maximising the contribution they make and therefore it is vital that their objectives and targets are able to drive corporate and operational performance effectively.”
Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office told parliament today that a new radio system for the police, Airwave, could deliver considerable benefits. For instance, Airwave will give a clear digital voice service and offers the possibility of data transmissions and remote access to police computers. The service, procured under the PFI by … Read more
“The way that the regulators have used their price reviews to drive down the costs of the major utility networks while the quality of the service delivered has improved, represents a great success story. But regulation inevitably has its drawbacks and I am glad that the regulators are considering how to head off the risks we have identified to incentives and future investment.”
“A significant amount of taxpayers’ money is being spent on delivering public services through electronic means. We have found examples of innovative practice but there is much to do to realise the full potential from using internet technology and ensure a sufficient number of people use public services delivered electronically. The major challenge is to get services on-line and to encourage and enable people to use them. Otherwise the considerable potential gains in departments’ efficiency will not be delivered and large amounts of public money will have been wasted.”
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 … Read more
“We have found good practice and good value being obtained in many sales of surplus NHS trust property and this needs to be built on. There needs to be better management of NHS surplus estate, better working with planning authorities, and better handling of some sales to speed things up to release resources for NHS developments to benefit patients. My recommendations and examples of good practice show how improvements can be achieved.”
“The majority of financial penalties are collected, but £74 million had to be written off in 2000-2001. Apart from the cost, the failure to bring in the remainder could undermine the credibility of financial penalties as a form of punishment. Significant improvements are needed to the management of the enforcement process, for example by improving the information available to magistrates on offenders’ means prior to sentence, ensuring that enforcement action is taken promptly, and providing greater support to staff through better training and improved management information.”
