The Comptroller and Auditor General, Amyas Morse, has today qualified the accounts of High Speed Two (HS2) Limited owing to its running a redundancy scheme at enhanced terms without the necessary approvals.
There are shortcomings in how the supply of NHS clinical staff in England is managed, in terms of both planning the future workforce and meeting the current demand for staff.
This report summarises our progress over the third year of the 2012-2015 strategy. As part of our commitment to the Public Sector Equality Duty we also publish equality data in our separate ‘Equality Information’ report.
There has been much public discussion about the affordability of public service pensions. To inform that debate, the National Audit Office has today published a report designed to bring greater transparency to, and understanding of, the cash costs involved. Today’s report found: Total payments to more than 2 million pensioners in the UK’s four largest […]
The National Audit Office has today reported that the processes used by central government to recruit civil servants do not fully deliver value for money. Departments are working to understand and improve parts of the external recruitment process but more can be done. In 2007-08, central government recruited more than 40,000 new staff, with 78 […]
This briefing complements the Departmental Overview prepared for the Department for International Development and covers specific topics of particular interest to the International Development Committee, including trends in DFID’s expenditure and total UK Official Development Assistance; and the Department’s progress in managing the delivery of the government’s target to spend 0.7 per cent of gross national income on UK Official Development Assistance in 2013.
Annual spending on consultants and temporary staff has reduced by £1.5 billion since 2010 when strict spending controls were introduced. However, annual spend is now increasing once more and is between £400 million and £600 million higher than in 2011-12.
To obtain value for money from public spending, lessons must be learnt from both success and failure. Although there is some effective learning within departments, learning is still not as prioritised as much as it should be, according to a National Audit Office report released today. Much learning in government occurs after large projects, initiatives […]
The government’s approach to managing the risks to schools’ financial sustainability cannot be judged to be effective or providing value for money until more progress is made.
Demand for ambulance services continues to grow rapidly, but services are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with rising demand.
Challenging objectives for improving access to general practice have been set by the Department and NHS England, but a more coordinated approach and stronger incentives are needed.
The financial performance of NHS bodies worsened considerably in 2015-16, according to the National Audit Office.
The strategy to improve basic literacy and numeracy skills has helped over 5.7 million adults achieve a qualification or other specified learning aim at a cost of £5 billion, according to the National Audit Office. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Learning and Skills Council exceeded targets for the number of adults […]
The Better Care Fund has not achieved the expected value for money, in terms of savings, outcomes for patients or hospital activity.
This briefing complements the Departmental Overview prepared for the Department for International Development in November 2012 and covers specific topics of particular interest to the International Development Committee.
There are currently far too many older people in hospitals who do not need to be there. Without radical action, this problem will worsen and add further financial strain to the NHS and local government.
The Department of Health and NHS England are making progress but much remains to be done to improve access to mental health services.
The government needs to do more to demonstrate how new arrangements for training new teachers are improving the quality of teaching in classrooms.
Amyas Morse, the Comptroller and Auditor General, has today issued a report on the 2016-17 accounts of HM Revenue & Customs.
By reducing the number of its offices and moving to a regional centre model HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) hopes to significantly reduce its running costs and modernise the way it works. HMRC’s original plan has proved unrealistic and is now reconsidering the scope and timing of the programme. Any changes will need to be carefully managed to avoid diminishing the long term value of the strategy.