The Home Office spent some £28 million on plans to create a purpose-built asylum centre in Bicester, Oxfordshire, following its announcement in 2001 of a major overhaul of the asylum system to speed up the processing of applications from asylum-seekers. In 2005, in the light of improvements to the handling of asylum applications, reduced numbers […]
An independent assessment of three Regional Development Agencies – One North East (ONE), South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) – has concluded that ONE and SEEDA are performing strongly and SWRDA is performing well. The assessments by the National Audit Office are based on five criteria: ambition, prioritisation, […]
Since 1999, low cost home ownership (LCHO) assistance has helped 40,000 people to buy their properties. The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has made a commitment to help an extra 100,000 households into home ownership by 2010. But demand for assistance far exceeds supply. In 2004-05, 11,000 households received assistance through Government funded […]
The National Audit Office today published its first two Independent Performance Assessments of Regional Development Agencies, covering the North West Development Agency (NWDA) and the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) respectively. In this first round of assessments, the NWDA scored 20 points out of a possible 24 which is equivalent to performing strongly. The […]
The National Audit Office today published its first two Independent Performance Assessments of Regional Development Agencies, covering the North West Development Agency (NWDA) and the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) respectively. In this first round of assessments, the NWDA scored 20 points out of a possible 24 which is equivalent to performing strongly. The […]
This report assesses how effectively the Department supports the planning regime to provide the right homes in the right places.
This new report responds to a request from the Environmental Audit Committee to examine local government and net zero.
As part of our work to evaluate how well the UK Government is tackling the renewal of the Thames Gateway we explored how seven European cities or regions are tackling ambitious regeneration and bringing sustainable growth and renewal to local communities. We published our research as a companion piece to the Thames Gateway report.
Most PFI hospital contracts are well-managed and the evidence indicates that they are currently achieving the value for money expected when the contracts were signed. There continue to be risks, however, to the long-term value for money of these contracts.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today that significant success has been achieved on key Government homelessness targets. There have been large falls in the numbers of people sleeping rough and families with children living in Bed & Breakfast accommodation as an emergency response to homelessness. But more work remains to […]
This report sets out the process by which MHCLG chose the 101 towns in England it invited to develop Town Deals.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to parliament today that Regional Development Agencies have performed well in their first four years. In order to build on this success the relationship between RDAs and government must continue to evolve. The aim of the reports recommendations is to streamline bureaucracy and enable RDAs […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to parliament today that there are early indications that the New Deal for Communities programme, under the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, is helping to tackle the problems of deprived communities and, despite some difficulties that have been encountered, the programme holds potential for […]
The report examines the timeliness of auditor reporting on English local public bodies’ financial statements covering 2019-20.
The O2, a central part of plans to regenerate the Greenwich Peninsula, opened on time in June 2007 and has become a highly successful entertainment venue which has boosted local employment. According to the National Audit Office, however, housing development on the rest of the Peninsula is taking longer than originally expected, and financial returns […]
The National Audit Office has reported today that Government departments and local health and social care organisations do not have enough information on numbers of adults with autism. They also lack a full understanding and awareness of the condition, limiting their ability to plan and deliver services effectively. Autism, which includes Asperger syndrome, is a […]
This report assesses the scheme’s performance against its objectives, its management, and plans for the future of the scheme.
The PSNI’s strategy to modernise and rationalise the police estate in Northern Ireland is leading to visible improvements, although there is still much work left to do, according to the National Audit Office. The plans to refurbish and build police stations, and review the need for others, are being taken forward against a challenging background. […]
This report looks at how effectively government met the needs of clinically extremely vulnerable through the shielding programme.