“High levels of empty houses within the family quarters estate has been a long running problem and represent a significant drain on public resources. By implementing the NAO recommendations the Department could reduce the level of vacant housing held and could free up significant resources for the benefit of Service families through improvements to the quality of the remaining housing stock.”
“Hip replacement surgery is a procedure that successfully improves the lives of tens of thousands of people each year. However, the current process for introducing new hip prostheses into the NHS cannot always ensure long term effectiveness, and if a hip prosthesis performs poorly, it can have serious consequences for the patient. We have also found variations in practice between NHS trusts and between orthopaedic consultants on a range of issues such as the purchase of hip prostheses, supervision of surgery, length of patient stay in hospital, and follow-up after operation. In these and other areas, all trusts and consultants need to follow good practice for the benefit of patients. My Report also contains a list of 19 questions patients can ask in connection with their hip replacement.”
“The Government’s compensation scheme is a practical way for society to express its regret and provide victims with some material recompense for their injuries. The staff at the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority are helpful and considerate. Their challenge for the future is to exploit new technology to speed up applications, improve communications and provide a more timely and personal service for victims.”
“The Rail Regulator needs to overcome the difficulties experienced up to now in monitoring Railtrack’s performance and setting effective incentives. I therefore welcome the action he is taking to secure that Railtrack maintain, renew and improve the national railway network on which the public and industry depend.”
“I am pleased that the great majority of projects are on course to make a real difference to the lives of the disadvantaged. However, in a minority of cases use of lottery money may not result in all of the benefits intended. The Charities Board have already taken action to ensure that society gets better value from lottery funds, but there is still some scope for further improvement.”
“The NHS continues to make improvements in its financial control over the £36 billion spent by Health Authorities and NHS Trusts. However, more work is necessary to ensure that accounting for these large sums fully and clearly reports the financial position of health authorities and NHS Trusts on a consistent basis.”
“The report shows that H M Customs and Excise are doing much good work to collect the correct amount of gambling duties, but there are still risks to that revenue from illegal bookmakers and operators using amusement machines without obtaining licences. Closer working with other government agencies involved with the industry can help to tackle these risks.”
“Partnerships like the one between the Inland Revenue and EDS, rely on trust and understanding between two organisations, qualities which are particularly important as requirements change and develop. Management of the risks associated with new work is therefore a challenging area for value for money. Much has already been achieved, and the Department must ensure that it retains the capability to manage the relationship and keep its options open for the future.”
“This project was a major procurement for the MOD in the complex field of communications where the MOD has many different requirements and technology is changing rapidly. The MOD achieved a good price on the project they went to the market for but, given that the MOD has a number of closely related communications contracts, a strategic review may have identified options for pursuing further savings from a project with a different scope.”
“My General Report summarises progress on a number of important issues facing departments, including resource accounting, corporate governance and performance measurement. It is clear that they face major challenges in these areas, and the National Audit Office and I will continue to work with them to ensure that a robust system of audit and accountability to Parliament is secured”.
