Search results for 'Benefits'

Showing 721 - 740 of 935 results

  1. The creation of Ofcom: wider lessons for public sector mergers of regulatory agencies

    Report Value for money

    Published on:

    The creation of Ofcom, the Office of Communications, was a major challenge, demanding decisive leadership and well structured project management. There were, however, no clear measures put in place at the outset to monitor whether the merger was a success. Although data is limited, the NAO has carried out a preliminary assessment which indicates that […]

  2. Improving Corporate Functions Using Shared Services

    Report Value for money

    Published on:

    Shared service centres in the NHS and HM Prison Service are on course to deliver substantial financial savings. But a report out today by the National Audit Office found that central government was initially slow to adopt shared services. While the momentum has picked up it is not clear that the shared services initiative is […]

  3. Proposed light rail schemes in Leeds, Manchester and South Hampshire. A review by the National Audit Office of the role of the Department for Transport

    Report Value for money

    Published on:

    The National Audit Office has examined the role of of the Department for Transport in assessing the revised proposals for light rail schemes in Leeds, Manchester and South Hampshire. Funding for these three schemes was originally approved by the Department in 2000 and 2001. But substantial increases in projected costs led to the Department withdrawing […]

  4. Big science: Public investment in large scientific facilities

    Report Value for money

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    The Government’s investment in large scientific facilities is starting to deliver a significant programme including such projects as the research ship RRS James Cook and the Diamond Synchrotron light source, according to an NAO report published today. Some project teams, however, have significantly underestimated the likely running costs of facilities and more attention needs to […]

  5. Memorandum on the BBC’s Digital Media Initiative

    Briefing

    Published on:

    The BBC Executive did not have a sufficient grip on its Digital Media Initiative programme. Nor did it commission a thorough independent assessment to see whether it was technically sound.

  6. NAO briefing: Appraisal and sustainable development

    Briefing

    Published on:

    This briefing was prepared for the Environmental Audit Committee. It gives a high-level landscape overview of options appraisal processes across government, with a focus on incorporating environmental and social factors.

  7. Preparations for Digital Switchover

    Report Value for money

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    The National Audit Office has found that a good start has been made in preparing for the replacement by 2012 of the analogue television service with a digital one. Eighty-five per cent of households have already switched from analogue to digital TV for their main set. However, consumers will have to convert or replace another […]

  8. The Red Dragon project

    Report Value for money

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    Red Dragon – a project by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), Welsh Assembly Government and the then Welsh Development Agency (the Welsh Authorities) to provide modern aviation repair facilities at St Athan, South Wales – has cost the taxpayer around £113 million, although it was meant to have saved MOD money and protected jobs in […]

  9. Ministry of Defence: The Defence Information Infrastructure

    Report Value for money

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    The Ministry of Defence programme to replace hundreds of different IT systems with a single, secure, high quality computer infrastructure is based on a sound rationale and convincing business case. According to a National Audit Office report issued today, the Defence Information Infrastructure Programme (DII) has delivered important benefits, but has run into implementation difficulties, […]

  10. Achieving Innovation in Central Government Organisations

    Report Value for money

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    The first independent report into operational innovation in central government has found that, although a deep rooted culture of risk aversion is being tackled and improvements in quality and efficiency of service are being made, government bodies could still secure greater benefits and efficiencies with more innovative and progressive approaches. The NAO report published today […]

  11. Department for Work and Pensions Resource Accounts 2003-2004

    Report Financial audit

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    Head of the NAO Sir John Bourn reported to Parliament today that he has qualified his opinion on the accounts of the Department for Work and Pensions. This is because of substantial levels of estimated losses from fraud and error in benefit expenditure, a significant limitation in the evidence made available to the NAO during […]

  12. Tackling the hidden economy

    Report Value for money

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    HM Revenue & Customs achieved a return of around £4.50 for every £1 spent on tackling the hidden economy in 2006-07 and recent campaigns to encourage people into the formal economy have achieved much higher returns. But, according to the National Audit Office, the penalties the Department imposes when it detects people in the hidden […]

  13. The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets: Sale of gas networks by National Grid

    Report Value for money

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    Against a background of rising gas prices, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today on major developments in the gas industry that have the potential to reduce gas bills in the longer term. There is uncertainty, however, as to whether consumers will see the full extent of the potential benefits. In […]

  14. Discharging older patients from hospital

    Press release

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    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.

  15. National Insurance Fund Account 2004-05

    Report Financial audit

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    Clarification Point 2 in the C&AG introduction (page 26), should read: “From April 2003 an additional one per cent National Insurance contribution has been collected and allocated directly to the National Health Service, bringing the total payments to the NHS to some £16.8 billion in 2004-2005 (£14.9 billion in 2003-2004).” Head of the National Audit […]

  16. Northern Ireland National Insurance Fund Account 2003-04

    Report Financial audit

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    The Northern Ireland Department for Social Development has succeeded in significantly cutting the estimated amount of benefits paid incorrectly because of errors by officials. The Department estimates that, for benefits paid in 2003-04, overpayments and underpayments amounted to £13.4 million and £5.0 million respectively – down from £51.9 million and £5.5 million in 2002-03. However, […]

  17. The £13 billion sale of former Northern Rock assets

    Press release

    Published on:

    The disposal of former Northern Rock mortgages and loans in 2015 was the government’s largest ever financial asset sale. When judged against the Government’s objective to shrink the balance sheet swiftly the deal was value for money.

  18. The Modernisation of the West Coast Main Line

    Report Value for money

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    The Strategic Rail Authority (and, subsequently, the Department for Transport) and Network Rail have successfully turned around the programme to modernise the West Coast Main Line. To date, Network Rail has delivered the new strategy for the line on time, achieving benefits for passengers, including shorter journey times and improved punctuality. Network Rail is likely […]

  19. Department of Work and Pensions: delivering effective services through contact centres

    Report Value for money

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    The Department for Work and Pensions has made significant progress in delivering services through contact centres so that they are delivering improvements in value for money, but needs to continue to tackle a variety of barriers to exploit their full potential, according to a National Audit Office report published today. The Department’s 60 contact centres […]