In June 2011, the National Audit Office reported on the system for enforcing consumer law and the Government subsequently made a series of reforms to the consumer landscape. This update report summarises recent changes and sets out the proposed benefits to consumers, businesses and taxpayers as well as the possible risks to be managed.
The Help to Buy equity loan scheme is improving access to mortgage finance, but the scheme’s costs will be substantial.
The Department for Education is not meeting its objectives to improve the quality of care and the stability of placements for children in care.
Local authorities have worked hard to manage reductions in government funding, but the DCLG needs to be better informed about the situation across England.
This report outlines the importance of recognising and adequately managing conflicts of interest.
This briefing on the NHS and sustainability in England has been prepared for the Environmental Audit Committee. It focuses on identifying potential good practice, opportunities and challenges and draws on the NAO’s good practice criteria.
Police forces have successfully reduced costs since 2011, but do not have a clear understanding of the demands placed upon them or of the factors that affect their costs.
With the number of further education (FE) colleges in financial difficulty expected to rise rapidly, there are fundamental structural problems which might require decisions at a regional or sector-wide level.
It has not yet been demonstrated that funding mechanisms for supporting local economic growth are capable of delivering value for money.
Review of a sample of the data systems underpinning the input and impact indicators in the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Business Plan, Common Areas of Spend and wider management information.
This review was carried out on the 2012-15 Business Plan. Revised Business Plans were issued in June 2013.
This Departmental Overview is one of 17 we are producing covering our work on each major government department. It summarises our work on the Communities and Local Government during 2012-13.
The Comptroller and Auditor General, Amyas Morse, has qualified his regularity opinion on the 2012-13 financial statements of the Department for Communities and Local Government. This is in respect of two breaches by the DCLG of spending limits authorised by Parliament.
We recommended that the Department for Communities and Local Government improve its evaluation of the impact of funding changes on local authorities’ financial sustainability.
This NAO impacts case study represents one example where there has been some beneficial change, whether financial or non-financial, resulting from our involvement.
Improvements have been made to the running of the Regional Growth Fund, but there is still a significant amount of public money to allocate through the Fund.
The new policing oversight framework has been in place for a year but already there are gaps in the system with the potential to undermine accountability both to the Home Office and the public.
Although some areas of the NHS in England are achieving value for money for out-of-hours GP services, this is not the case across the board.
Amyas Morse, the Comptroller and Auditor General, has qualified his audit opinion in respect of two years of financial statements for Firebuy Ltd, covering 2010-11 and the short period in 2011-12 up to the closure of the company in July 2011.
The NAO examines central government’s approach to the funding of local authorities as they deal with reduced funding without reducing services.
This study will examine DfE’s oversight of the children’s homes market, including supported accommodation.
The provision of adequate adult social care poses a significant public service challenge. Demand for care is rising while public spending is falling.