Over the last five years, further education colleges have helped a growing proportion of students to achieve their qualifications at the same time as supporting a big increase in student numbers. But further education colleges must make greater improvements in their student success rates, Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, said today. […]
The Audit Commission and the National Audit Office today published the results of their comprehensive joint review of education and training for existing and trainee nurses, midwives and other healthcare staff. Getting the development of these staff right is fundamental to meeting patients’ needs, improving services, reducing risks and modernising the NHS. The reports make […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, told Parliament today that much is being done to tackle the downward trend in the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)’s visitor numbers but this work needs to be taken further. In 1999-2000 there were 1.27 million visitors to the Museum, some 320,000 lower than the target […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, told Parliament today that the prevalence of obesity in England had tripled over the last 20 years and continues to rise. Most adults in England are now overweight, and one in five is obese. Producing the first authoritative estimates of the costs and consequences of obesity […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, today reported to Parliament on how the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)1 successfully avoided millennium-compliance problems when replacing its computerised vehicles system, although the project took twice the anticipated timescale to complete. The report details the project management problems encountered by the DVLA in replacing […]
The National Audit Office today reported the results of their examination of HM Customs and Excise’s systems to ensure the systems provide an effective check on the assessment, collection and allocation of tax revenue during the year ending 31 March 2000. The report includes details of a serious breakdown of controls in Customs which contributed […]
The Inland Revenue continued to provide an effective check over the assessment, collection and allocation of tax during the year 1999-00, according to the National Audit Office. A report to Parliament today by Comptroller and Auditor General Sir John Bourn points out that the Inland Revenue collected almost £200 billion tax and national insurance […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, today reported to Parliament on the 1999-2000 account of the House of Commons: Works Services Appropriation Account. The full text of his report is attached.
An NAO report has praised HM Customs and Excise for its effective regulation of imports from outside the European Union. There is, however, scope for improvement. According to the report to Parliament today by head of the NAO Sir John Bourn, Customs have adequate arrangements to ensure that importers pay the correct amount of duty […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, today reported to Parliament on how the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)1 successfully avoided millennium-compliance problems when replacing its computerised vehicles system, although the project took twice the anticipated timescale to complete. The report details the project management problems encountered by the DVLA in […]
The Department for Education and Employment took reasonable steps to mitigate the financial risks that were inherent in the new Education Action Zones programme, according to a National Audit Office report today. The report warns, however, that the DfEE and the zones must remain vigilant to avoid financial irregularities or improprieties which could detract from […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today that the Royal Armouries* in July 1999 successfully negotiated a revised deal with Royal Armouries (International) plc** (“RAI”) which ensured that the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds remained open. The revised deal has also made it possible for the future redevelopment of […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today that the Treasury had successfully met its objective to sell part of the UK’s gold reserves in a transparent and fair manner while achieving value for money. He also said that the Treasury’s agents, the Bank of England, had kept the gold […]
The urgent need for change in how government departments and agencies procure and manage new construction projects, currently worth some £7.5 billion a year, is highlighted today in a National Audit Office report. It concludes that there is now no excuse for government clients and the industry to fail to take advantage of readily available […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, told Parliament today that since electricity supply competition began in September 1998 more than 6.5 million customers – one in four – have saved money by changing supplier. Domestic electricity customers as a whole have seen their electricity bills fall by some £750 million a year since […]
Sir John Bourn, the head of the National Audit Office, has qualified his opinion on the 1999-2000 accounts of the Ordnance Survey, the government Agency responsible for the official mapping of Great Britain. In his report to Parliament on the Agency’s first set of accounts as a Trading Fund, Sir John said that he had […]
Effective measures are now in place to ensure that blood is safe for transfusions. That is one of the main findings in a National Audit Office report into the National Blood Service. The report also concludes that, despite the long time taken by the Service since its creation in 1993 to make the transition from […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today that the financial analysis* carried out for the London Underground Public Private Partnerships cannot, on its own, be expected to show clearly which public or private sector option for managing and funding the Tube will provide better value for money. Sir John […]
The Inland Revenue’s administration of petroleum revenue tax – tax on the profits from production of North Sea oil and gas – is generally effective according to a report to Parliament today by head of the National Audit Office, Sir John Bourn. The National Audit Office report on the Inland Revenue’s management of petroleum revenue […]