Background
Major projects are one of the main ways in which government aims to achieve its objectives. With the whole-life cost of projects on the government major projects portfolio (GMPP) amounting to some £800 billion, major projects account for a significant part of government spending. However, the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report, Making public money work harder, and January 2024 speech highlighted how failings in governance have led to value for money being put at risk.
Scope
This report will examine how governance and decision-making worked on a small sample of major projects on which we have previously reported. We will explore why governance arrangements that look suitable on paper do not always work as intended in practice. We will then draw out lessons and insights for government departments and delivery bodies to consider in their efforts to improve the chances of delivering successful projects and value for money.
The report will consider:
- the governance and decision-making structures that have been used on government projects
- the information, analysis and assurance that has fed into key decisions
- how decisions were made and challenged during the course of the project
NAO Team
Director: Lee-Anne Murray
Audit Manager: Hedley Ayres