The National Audit Office (NAO) of the UK have just published reports previously planned for release in June and July. The fieldwork for these reports was conducted under the previous government and the reports could not be published during the pre-election period.
Hat tip for photo via unslpash to Mihály Köles
Below are the links to each of the NAO not issued reports and the takeout paragraph I've chosen from each. The 2nd summary paragraph below summarises the takeout paragraphs. The 1st summary paragraph below boils those takeout paragraphs down to what government and the organisaitons if funds need to concentrate on.
1st summary paragraph - In the follwing text read customer as client also. Who is your customer? What is your strategy to make their lives better? What is your plan to give your customer great advice & support? Do you know specifically how your £ spend adds value or supports your customers? How well do you know the physical state of your infrastructure? How do you combine your procurement to get value? How are you liasing across government/organisations to make what you collectively offer simplier?
2nd summary paragraph - The NHS might break. HS2 Ltd should deliver value for money. UK Space Agency needs to be fast and flexible. Farmers need quality advice & support from Defra. DfE doesn't understand how its £'s help disadvantaged children. Government doesn't have a credible alternative to its Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage programme. DfT doesn't have a good understanding of the condition of local roads. The Buckingham House refurb project is praised for it honesty and engagement. Streamline the central purchasing system. Government has no strategy or public targets for reducing statutory homelessness. DWP wants to be customer focussed, its plans are challenging. Simplify the government grants landscape.
NHS financial management and sustainability
Takeout paragraph " When we consider how the health needs of the population look set to increase, we are concerned that the NHS may be working at the limits of a system which might break before it is again able to provide patients with care that meets standards for timeliness and accessibility. "
HS2: update following cancellation of Phase 2
Takeout paragraph "DfT and HS2 Ltd must now take the time needed to properly reset, and set themselves up to deliver value for money from the programme."
The National Space Strategy and the role of the UK Space Agency
Takeout paragraph "The sector is developing at a fast pace, and in planning for the future the government will need to balance the need to provide certainty with the need to be flexible and responsive to new opportunities."
The Farming and Countryside Programme
Takeout paragraph "Farmers need quality advice and support to adapt, but Defra has not yet ensured that they can access what they need. Around half of England’s farmers say they are not at all positive about their future in farming."
Improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged children
Takeout paragraph "DfE has evidence to support some of its interventions and uses this to help schools and early years providers to make decisions. However, it does not yet understand the outcomes resulting from a significant proportion of its expenditure on disadvantaged children. It also does not have a fully integrated view of its interventions, or milestones to assess progress and when more may need to be done."
Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage programme
Takeout paragraph "The government does not have and is currently not developing a credible alternative pathway without the use of CCUS. In this context, it is critical that DESNZ succeeds with its CCUS programme if the UK is to achieve its legally binding climate ambitions."
The condition and maintenance of local roads in England
Takeout paragraph "However, at present DfT does not have a good enough understanding of the condition of local roads, and does not use the limited data it does have to allocate its funding as effectively as possible. It does not know whether the funds it allocates are delivering improvements in road condition, and has not updated its guidance to local authorities, to share good practice and help them make the most of their limited funds, for some years."
Progress on the Buckingham Palace Reservicing programme
Takeout paragraph "The Household has worked hard to engage stakeholders within the Palace and through the supply chain, and the Palace has remained operational throughout. The Household has responded well to challenge and assurance, fostering a culture of honesty."
Efficiency in government procurement of common goods and services
Takeout paragraph "The Government Commercial Function (GCF), working in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service (CCS), should streamline the central purchasing system to deliver better value for money for the public sector."
The effectiveness of government in tackling homelessness
Takeout paragraph "The situation has worsened since we last examined the issue in 2017. Despite the introduction of HRA 2017, homelessness numbers are at a record level and expected to increase. While DLUHC has developed much better homelessness data and stronger links with local authorities, the government still has no strategy or public targets for reducing statutory homelessness, and DLUHC is falling behind on key programmes to improve housing supply. Funding remains fragmented and generally short-term, inhibiting homelessness prevention work and limiting investment in good-quality temporary accommodation or other forms of housing."
Takeout paragraph "DWP recognises that it needs to transform its services to be a customer-focused organisation. Its modernisation plans are based on a good understanding of the issues that need to be addressed and are necessarily ambitious. However, the scale and complexity of the plans mean delivery is risky, and DWP is unlikely to achieve in the short term the improvements that are needed."
Government’s general grants schemes
Takeout paragraph "Grant-making departments and arm’s-length bodies can simplify the grants landscape by combining schemes and awards, which government has started doing for grants to local authorities. There is more that the Grants Management Function and departments can do to improve grant-making, achieve efficiencies, support grant practitioners and enhance user experience."
No comments:
Post a Comment