“The Royal Mint’s declining financial performance in recent years is largely a consequence of the external pressures of a highly competitive global market. The Mint now faces a challenging and painful period of restructuring as it seeks to return to overall profitability.”
“Exercise Saif Sareea II was a major success for the United Kingdom in demonstrating the Armed Forces’ ability to conduct operations over long distances and in supporting important foreign-policy objectives.
“However, the Exercise highlighted a number of problems that need to be addressed. In particular, the Joint Rapid Reaction Forces must be properly equipped to undertake expeditionary operations around the world; and the planning of such exercises needs to be reviewed if maximum value for money is to be achieved in future.”
“The deal has been set up well to provide safety and accountability. But the financial position of the company will need strengthening by the parties involved to enable it to make further investment in air traffic control, one of the Government’s main objectives for the Partnership.”
“I continue to be concerned at the high level of error in maintenance assessments and I have had to qualify my audit opinion on this account yet again. It is disappointing that the Child Support Reforms aimed at improving the accuracy of maintenance assessments, had to be delayed because testing on a new computer system had not been completed. But it is prudent not to introduce the reforms until it is shown that the system can be operated to specified standards.”
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today that he had qualified his opinion on the Office for National Statistics 2001-02 Resource Account. This was because he had insufficient evidence to verify payroll charges, totalling £10.3 million, for piecework carried out by field staff employed on the 2001 Census. According to the … Read more
“I am concerned that the Authority could not determine how much income was properly due to it. However, I am pleased to report that it is making progress: both in quantifying the level of unbilled income and in developing new procedures which would enable it to demonstrate to me that all income due has been identified.
“I will continue to monitor progress and will consider the action taken by the Authority to resolve this issue.”
“This outbreak had a devastating effect on the rural economy and parts of the tourist industry. We must acknowledge that it was of an unprecedented nature and magnitude. In the light of what happened, urgent action is needed to produce contingency plans which would be more sensitive to outbreaks of different scales and thus be better suited to dealing with a future crisis on this scale. Moreover, further research must be carried out into effective measures for tackling foot and mouth. And the means for ensuring minimum standards of cost and financial control in crisis conditions must be established.
“There are lessons to be learned for the whole of government from the foot and mouth crisis. Departments need to be aware of the major threats in their areas of business and to have contingency plans in place which conform with best practice on risk management.”
“The Ministry of Defence has already disposed of much stock but more can be done. Too much stock is still kept because information systems are poor, or ‘just in case’. My recommendations and examples of good practice show how further improvements can be achieved.”
“The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has in recent years strengthened the UK’s ability to deal with marine pollution incidents. The Agency does, however, need to satisfy itself that ports, harbours and coastal local authorities remain capable of protecting the environment from marine pollution, and ensure that it has the ability to recover its costs, prosecute offenders and deter others from polluting.”
“My report draws attention to ongoing problems in the management of European funds in 2000. The United Kingdom Government has taken a leading role in supporting the reform process which is being put into effect by the European Commission and it is vital it continues to do all it can in this respect, through the Council of Ministers and its other links in the Community. The National Audit Office will continue to give a high priority to examining the way that United Kingdom departments manage Community funds.”
