In June 2016, the National Audit Office published a series of reports which explored some of the major risks to public finances highlighted in the Whole of Government Accounts (WGA). These reports examined how these risks to the balance sheet have changed in recent years and considered how the government manages them. This study, the … Read more
The Environmental Audit Committee has requested a review of sustainability within the Ministry of Justice. The briefing will examine: The Department’s arrangements to support and promote sustainability within: policy and policy making; governance and leadership; estates and operations and procurement. The most significant environmental issues the Department faces now and in the future. The Department’s … Read more
The study will address the MOD’s use of non-competitive procurement, focusing primarily on equipment procurement and support. The lack of competition in defence procurement is an age-old challenge for government and it will remain an important and unavoidable feature of the UK defence industry for years to come. The National Audit Office last examined this … Read more
In December 2014, the National Audit Office published a report: Investigation into financial support for students at alternative higher education providers. The report identified a number of issues about the arrangements for oversight and funding of alternative higher education providers. The Committee of Public Accounts took evidence on the report in December 2014 and published … Read more
Around £9bn is spent annually on research and development across government. BEIS has overall responsibility for government spending on science, technology and engineering but nearly 30% of science funding comes from other government departments. This study will establish whether departments are well-placed to maximise the impact of government’s investment in research and development by examining … Read more
Clinical negligence claims against NHS hospitals cost a significant and rising amount each year. In 2015-16, the Department of Health’s clinical negligence provision totalled £56 billion, and its expenditure in this area was over £1.5 billion. The NHS Litigation Authority (NHS LA) manages clinical negligence claims for all trusts in England. Its main scheme is … Read more
In March 2016, the Department for Education set out its ambition to build on and extend its reforms to achieve educational excellence everywhere. Having enough high quality teachers underpins this ambition. This study will examine the progress the Department, in conjunction with the education sector, has made to improve the quality of the teaching workforce … Read more
The National Lottery was launched in 1994 and generates over £1.6 billion per year for good causes. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport sets lottery policy and one if its arm’s length bodies, the Gambling Commission, regulates the National Lottery operator Camelot. In 2016-17 income from National Lottery sales available to good causes has … Read more
The Department for Transport is sponsoring a £7 billion programme to increase passenger capacity on the Thameslink route through central London. The programme involves the improvement of tracks, signalling and stations, a new fleet of trains and new franchise arrangements for running the passenger service on the Thameslink route. Our previous report Progress in delivering … Read more
This report is the latest in a series of NAO reports on the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The NAO is examining whether the CQC is taking appropriate action to address the changing risks to patient care. This study will focus on: how the CQC makes use of its current powers and engages with other organisations; the level … Read more
Since the introduction of PFI in the 1990’s private finance procurement has provided government departments with around £60 billion of investment. Unlike conventional forms of procurement the use of private finance means that the public sector doesn’t have to pay for the construction of the asset upfront. Instead it transfers construction risk to the private … Read more
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) employs nearly 80,000 people in around 900 buildings. DWP’s 20-year PFI contract with Telereal Trillium covers 96% of its estate and expires on 31 March 2018. The end of the contract offers the Department the opportunity to revise its current estate needs and to create a new estate … Read more
An individual is homeless if they have no safe accommodation available. All measures of homelessness have increased since 2010. In 2016, almost 76,000 homeless households in England were housed in temporary accommodation by local authorities (a 58% increase since 2010). The direct spending of local authorities on homelessness in 2016 exceeded £1 billion and is … Read more
Government provides £9 billion a year of up-front funding for higher education (HE). As the balance of this funding has shifted away from teaching grants towards tuition fee loans, market mechanisms such as student choice and provider competition play an increasingly important role in supporting public policy objectives including value for money. This study examines … Read more
Audience and user insight is critical to the BBC’s success, affecting decisions the Corporation takes about how to spend the majority of its £3.8 billion of licence fee income. Changes in audience behaviour and content consumption, including the growth of online media and the proliferation of platforms and devices, are making comprehensive audience analysis more … Read more
The adult social care workforce is made up of over 1.4 million people, with more than 19,000 organisations providing care. This study will look at how central government and other national bodies work with local authorities and providers to ensure there are enough paid care workers, with the right skills and qualities, to meet adults’ … Read more
Converting maintained schools to academies continues to be a key education policy. The Department for Education believes that ‘all schools should benefit from the freedom and autonomy that academy status brings’. Approximately 30% of schools (over 6,400) have so far become academies. Academy trusts take on significant new responsibilities, with extra financial, legal and governance … Read more
The Government created the UK Green Investment Bank (GIB) in 2012 to accelerate the UK’s transition to a greener, stronger economy. The GIB invests in green infrastructure projects across the UK, and is designed to form a key part of the UK’s efforts to achieve its legally binding environmental targets. In July 2015, government announced … Read more
On Friday 12 May 2017, there was a ransomware attack on thousands of private and public sector organisations across the world. In the UK, although the attack was not aimed specifically at the NHS, the NHS was particularly affected. According to reports some hospitals and GPs surgeries were unable to access patient data. This led … Read more
In January 2017 the government set out its intention to ‘boost’ STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) skills in the economy. This intention sits at the heart of the government’s flagship Industrial Strategy, which aims to improve living standards and help the economy prosper by increasing productivity and driving growth. This early-stage review will assess … Read more
The Home Office estimates that there were 10,000-13,000 potential victims of modern slavery in the UK in 2013, which includes victims of sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, forced and compulsory labour, domestic servitude and human trafficking. The Home Office introduced the Modern Slavery strategy in 2014 with the aim of significantly reducing the prevalence of modern … Read more
The NAO’s November 2016 report on financial sustainability in the NHS highlighted a sharp deterioration in financial performance with providers increasingly reliant on financial support. The plan to close the estimated £22 billion gap in resources by 2020-21 had not been fully tested and there was a lack of incentives to support local NHS bodies … Read more
To meet the targets in the 2008 Climate Change Act, the energy used for heating in homes and businesses will need to be significantly decarbonised. The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) has been the government’s major programme for decarbonising heat. Under RHI, homes and businesses can apply for subsidies if they install low carbon heating systems … Read more
The BBC’s commercial activities support its public service mission by investing in, commercialising and showcasing BBC content around the world. These activities are undertaken with a view to generating profit and other returns, which the BBC uses to supplement the licence fee. This landscape review will be the first study undertaken by the NAO under … Read more
This study is part of the National Audit Office’s programme of work on mental health and will focus on services for children and young people. It will primarily consider NHS-funded services, but will also look at interventions undertaken in schools and by local authorities where relevant. The study will consider the government’s progress in implementing … Read more
Universal Credit is a single benefit for working age people both in and out of work, which replaces six existing means-tested benefits and tax credits. It is available to all eligible claimants through the Universal Credit full service. In May 2016, the Department for Work and Pensions started rolling out the full service to jobcentres … Read more
Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) inspects a wide range of education and skills providers and social care services for children and young people, and regulates providers in some settings such as children’s homes. Through its work, Ofsted aims to raise the standard of education and quality of life for … Read more