Sir John Bourn delivered today the National Audit Office’s 50th PFI/PPP report to Parliament, an update report on the new Darent Valley hospital which, in 1997, had been the first hospital procured under the PFI. Sir John reported that the hospital had been successfully delivered and the Trust had received a reduction in the overall […]
New trains on Britain’s railways are bringing significant benefits to passengers, according to a report by the National Audit Office. Most have been late entering service, however, and it is unlikely that the statutory deadline of December 2004 for removing all the oldest slam-door trains from the network will be met. Lack of capacity to […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, today reported to Parliament on the £1.2 billion expansion of the PRIME contract, that DWP had succeeded in getting the deal it had set out to achieve. The decision to proceed via a non-competitive negotiation with LST was the right one. DWP introduced competitive tension into […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the NAO, today reported that, following improvements in PFI financing terms, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust has shared in the gains from a refinancing of its early PFI hospital contract, but it continues to pay a premium in respect of the financing costs compared to current deals. […]
The National Audit Office report on Urgent Operational Requirements (UORs), whereby the Ministry of Defence (MoD) uses a streamlined version of its procedures to support operations by buying equipment quickly, finds that UORs are a necessary and increasingly important feature of operations and that the Department has shown impressive ingenuity to deliver urgent requirements to […]
The Bank of England has made progress in its aim to operate in a more unified way following its expansion. More is needed to embed cultural change and deliver long term data projects.
Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office told parliament today that a new radio system for the police, Airwave, could deliver considerable benefits. For instance, Airwave will give a clear digital voice service and offers the possibility of data transmissions and remote access to police computers. The service, procured under the PFI by […]
This report sets out the history of Contracts for Difference and how the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy designed the 2017 auction, including the changes it made to the rules related to the capacity cap, and the impact these changes had.
The report examines the system protecting consumers from scams, unfair trading, and unsafe goods. BEIS has made progress since our 2011 review, but needs to do more, particularly in the context of the growth of e-commerce.
Modern light rail systems, such as Croydon Tramlink and Manchester Metrolink, have brought significant benefits to passengers, according to a report Parliament by the head of the National Audit Office, Sir John Bourn. They deliver fast, frequent and reliable services and provide a comfortable and safe journey. Their modern look and attractive services have enhanced […]
Pooling the Royal Navy’s, Army’s and Royal Air Force’s battlefield helicopters has brought significant benefits, Sir John Bourn, the head of the National Audit Office, told Parliament today. Efficiencies have been produced through a joined up approach, by standardising procedures and removing duplication, but there is a large shortfall in helicopter capability and further improvements […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office today reported to Parliament on the £1.5 billion Strategic Transfer of the Estate to the Private Sector (STEPS) PFI deal entered into by Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise with a private sector consortium known as Mapeley STEPS. The deal incorporates the transfer of the ownership […]
Sir John Bourn, the head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today that the Prison Service has made good progress in improving its procurement of goods and services but that scope exists for further financial savings to be made. Performance in monitoring and controlling the consumption of goods and use of services and […]
In December 2015 a five year contract, worth around £800 million between UnitingCare Partnership and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough clinical commissioning group collapsed after only 8 months because it ran into financial difficulties. NAO examined the design, procurement and operation of the contract and the events that led to its termination.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today on the difficulties faced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in outsourcing elements of the 2001 Census. The Census is expected to deliver good quality population data within the overall budget of £207 million. However, the appointment of professional advisors was […]
The National Audit Office’s report finds that London & Continental Railways (LCR) successfully completed the construction of Section 1 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) on time and at a cost slightly below the target set in the 1998 restructuring. Drawing on the reasons for this achievement, the NAO report highlights lessons for other […]
This report examines whether Ofsted’s approach to inspecting schools is providing value for money. We assessed Ofsted’s role, performance and impact.
A set of six questions for departments to consider to promote value for money in their expenditure on professional services, taken from from pages 15-16 of the NAO Value for Money report, “Purchasing Professional Services” (HC 400 2000-2001) published in April 2001.
This looks at the chain of events which led to the government paying £711m in compensation to 34,000 pensioners who retired from the Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes between 2001 and 2006 without receiving their full pension entitlement. Due to the extent of the legal process in the case, some police and firefighters were retired for over 15 years before they received their full pension entitlement from government.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today that the refinancing of the public private partnership for NATS, completed late last year, has put the Company on a much more robust financial footing, enabling it to make further vital investment to expand the capacity of Air Traffic Control to meet future growth […]