The National Audit Office (NAO) has responsibilities within the framework for the audit of local public bodies. This leaflet provides information on our role, examples of our recent value-for-money work focused on local services, our 2016-17 work in progress and contact details for you to provide views and suggestions or to ask questions about our work.
The approach to reducing the cost of regulation is set up to ensure that government can hit a £10bn target but misses the point by not truly reducing costs on businesses.
The BBC World Service has used savings generated since 2010 to invest in new digital and television services. There is, however, scope to improve the approach to target setting and performance reporting.
HS2 is a large, complex and ambitious programme which is facing cost and time pressures. The unrealistic timetable set for HS2 Ltd by the Department means they are not as ready to deliver as they hoped to be at this point.
Explore examples where local public bodies have tried to make it easier for voluntary, community and social enterprises to bid for contracts.
Local authorities have kept up levels of capital spending but face pressure to meet debt costs and maintain investment in existing assets.
This memorandum sets out how the new equipment commitments arising from the Review are to be funded, and highlights risks to affordability that may arise from the funding model.
June 2016
This is an investigation into the contractual arrangements that UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) had in place since 2013-14 for the outsourcing of sector specialist services with PA Consulting. PA received £18.8million in the first year of a contract due to last three years. Following concerns about the way the contract had been priced UKTI terminated the contract in January 2016 and agreed a commercial settlement with PA in May 2016.
This memorandum has been prepared to support the Committee of Public Accounts consideration of HMRC’s approach to replacing its contract for IT services with Capgemini, known as Aspire. We set out HMRC’s approach, its business cases and the risks it has to manage. It does not seek to evaluate HMRC’s approach or progress, and therefore does not draw conclusions.
June 2016
The St Helena airport’s planned opening date in May 2016 has been postponed as outstanding safety concerns are addressed, potentially adding to the project’s cost and delaying its benefits.
This memorandum has been prepared to support the Committee of Public Accounts’ consideration of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) provision of accommodation to its service personnel.
The Whole of Government Accounts provide a unique perspective owing to their reach and approach to measuring the government’s financial performance and position.
There are currently far too many older people in hospitals who do not need to be there. Without radical action, this problem will worsen and add further financial strain to the NHS and local government.
HMRC aimed to move more customers online thereby reducing staff costs but significant numbers of staff were let go before technical improvements were completed leading to a collapse in service quality in 2015. Services have since improved.
Government’s programme to transfer back-office functions to two shared service centres has made savings but has not achieved value for money to date.
This overview of the NAO’s work on the government’s management of contracting examines subjects including the government’s commercial capability, accountability and transparency, and its management of contracted-out service delivery.
It is important that the Government ensures its compliance programme reflects the changing risks within the labour market, and maintains its progress in ensuring all employers pay the minimum wage.
BBC has improved the way it manages its business critical projects. Most are on course to deliver and achieve their intended benefits but needs to do more to manage its critical projects as a coherent portfolio.
Probation services have been restructured on time and within cost targets during a period of major change but operational problems and risks to further service transformation need to be resolved if re-offending levels are to reduce.
Explore the results of our surveys of NHS acute hospitals and clinical commissioning groups, showing their views on NHS England’s commissioning of specialised services.