Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, told Parliament today that the Joint Services Command and Staff College was a success story and had obtained value for money when using the PFI to procure its permanent home. The Ministry of Defence did well to establish the College but there is scope to improve […]
The government needs to do more to demonstrate how new arrangements for training new teachers are improving the quality of teaching in classrooms.
The Department for Education should set out the planned overall impact of the programme on productivity and growth.
The £22.5 billion auction of radio spectrum for the third generation of mobile telephones was well designed and efficient, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, told Parliament today. Key success factors were that the Radiocommunications Agency marketed the opportunity and consulted the Industry extensively before the auction, rehearsed it, managed the bidding […]
A national standard IT system for magistrates’ courts has been under development for over ten years but is still not complete, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today. The cost of the project has increased substantially since a PFI deal was signed in 1998. IT systems in magistrates’ courts […]
Nearly 100,000 new childcare places have been created for pre-school children since 1998 and the Government is on course to meet its targets for the provision of free part-time early education for three- and four-year-olds. But Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today that more needs to be done to ensure […]
The Inland Revenue, when required to make major enhancements to its national insurance computer system (NIRS 2) to accommodate significant legislative changes, decided to award a contract extension to Accenture, its existing supplier. And, according to a report from the National Audit Office, published today, the contract extension: offered better value for money than the […]
The Office of Government Commerce has done well to negotiate software licensing agreements with IT suppliers that has secured savings for the taxpayer, Sir John Bourn, the Head of the National Audit Office, reported today. However, it needs to publicise the benefits of the agreement more widely. Software is vital for delivering services to the […]
Head of the National Audit Office Sir John Bourn today reported on the Connexions Service, concluding that it is a radical change in the delivery of advice and guidance to young people and is on target to meeting its major objective of reducing the proportion of 16- to 18-year olds not in education, employment or […]
The PPP deal between National Savings and Investments (NS&I) and Siemens Business Services has improved customer service and has contributed to savings for the taxpayer, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today. However, Siemens Business Services and NS&I underestimated the challenge involved. Siemens Business Services has encountered a number of problems […]
The redevelopment of the West Middlesex hospital should assist the NHS in delivering modern, high quality healthcare in London, Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office reported to Parliament today. As a result of letting a 35 year PFI contract with a net present value of £125 million to the Bywest consortium, the […]
The Department for Education recognised since 2010 that child protection services are not good enough but its subsequent response has not yet resulted in better outcomes. Spending on children’s social work, including on child protection, varies widely across England and is not related to quality. Neither the DfE nor authorities understand why spending varies.
The Department for Business, Skills and Innovation has not used good quality information to decide which science capital projects to invest in to optimise scientific and economic benefits.
This impacts case study shows how our reports pointing to the need for Department for Transport staff to improve their skills in managing complex procurements helped DfT to develop a Commercial Capability Strategy, increase leadership training and create a network for sharing advice.
It is one example of financial or non-financial benefits realised in 2014 as a result of our involvement, all of which are set out in our interactive PDF
The NAO acknowledges the vital role played by inspectorates but identifies inconsistency in the extent to which they are independent of government and in their reporting arrangements, which can limit their impact.
This page is part of our decommissioning toolkit. Clear boundaries of authority Involve teams in joint working early Fully integrate leadership and organisation structure Build appropriate behaviours through all training e.g, safety training Integration of organisation and management structure were important levers on several projects i.e. selecting the right people for jobs regardless of their […]
This briefing presents information on how DWP supports people into work, and the challenges it may face in delivering support.
Despite the fact that the Defra has made improvements in its financial management, the NAO cannot yet conclude that the Department is achieving value for money in its financial management activity.
With one of the longest coastlines in Europe and an economy that relies on shipping for 95 per cent of its visible trade, the UK is at particular risk from marine pollution, which can have serious consequences for people, property and the environment. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), an executive agency of the Department […]