Over many years the NAO has reported on delays and cost overruns across significant Ministry of Defence (MoD) equipment procurement programmes, such as boats 4-7 of the Astute attack submarine (£1 billion over budget) and the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers (£2.75 billion over budget). Our recent report Defence Capabilities: delivering what was promised, found that … Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the labour market, and unemployment in the UK is expected to increase significantly. The Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) provides a range of support for unemployed people through Jobcentres and through more intensive programmes, such as the Work and Health Programme. In response to the pandemic, DWP has announced a range of measures to support people to get and … Read more
This study will examine whether product safety regime effectively protect UK consumers from harm.
The NHS Test and Trace Service provides an essential component of government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its stated aim is: ‘Helping to break chains of COVID-19 transmission, protect the public’s health, and enable people to return towards a more normal way of life’. It seeks to achieve this by finding people with COVID-19, identifying … Read more
Government uses a range of delivery models to carry out its policy objectives, including arm’s length bodies. Arm’s length bodies account for around £200 billion of public expenditure a year and employ approximately 300,000 staff. They perform a variety of different functions across government including; running key public services, regulating public services and providing advice … Read more
This study will look at the progress of Crossrail since the NAO last reported in May 2019.
This study will examine whether the Department for Education is improving the financial sustainability of schools.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic the government launched a series of schemes providing financial support to businesses of all sizes. Of these, the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) provided support to the largest businesses—those with a minimum turnover of £45 million. Commercial lenders (for example, banks, building societies and peer to peer … Read more
This report will examine how the Green Home Grant has been managed and what has been achieved to date.
Good practice guidance for managing the commercial lifecycle will provide updated insight across each stage of the commercial lifecycle.
The COVID-19 pandemic is putting public finances under severe pressure. Improving efficiency could help government to manage this pressure. Our past work has identified several areas where government can achieve efficiencies, as well as the risks of attempting to make savings without careful consideration of the unintended consequences. Drawing on previous NAO work, and experience … Read more
This study will examine how effectively central government and local government are working together on net zero.
This report will explore whether the National Law Enforcement Data programme is likely to meet user requirements.
This report will examine whether the Environmental Land Management scheme has been designed to meet the government’s strategic policy objectives.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated a growing backlog of cases waiting to be tried in the criminal courts system. During the first national lockdown, HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) closed some court buildings, and suspended all jury trials. Since then, courts have reopened, but national guidelines for social distancing mean they are unable to … Read more
This report will examine the Department for International Trade’s progress with trade negotiations, including converting existing EU trade agreements.
In 2019-20 HM Revenue and Customs collected £636.7 billion in total tax revenues. The amount of tax overdue for payment at 31 March 2020 was £22.4 billion. On 20 March 2020, the government announced measures that deferred future payments of some taxes, in recognition of the financial pressures put on taxpayers as a result of … Read more
This investigation will examine what government is doing to protect public money in relation to the Bounce Back Loan Scheme.
This report will examine measures in place to support the use of evaluation evidence in government to produce better outcomes
This report will assess the value for money of the child maintenance system.
This report examines the BBC’s progress in making savings and the impact of savings on its content and news coverage.
Government relies on hundreds – possibly thousands – of models for a huge variety of critical activities, from forecasting spending plans to guiding operational decision making. It is increasingly relying on these models with more data now available and an increased emphasis on evidence-driven decision-making. Government last published guidance on modelling – the Aqua Book … Read more
