1
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Use of evaluation and m…
Acknowledged
On the basis of two reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from HM Treasury, the Finance Function, the Analysis Function and the Evaluation Task Force about the use of evaluation and modelling across government.1 Cabinet Office introduced cross-government ‘functions’ in 2013 to provide professional support to …
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On the basis of two reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from HM Treasury, the Finance Function, the Analysis Function and the Evaluation Task Force about the use of evaluation and modelling across government.1 Cabinet Office introduced cross-government ‘functions’ in 2013 to provide professional support to departments. HM Treasury has overall responsibility for the Finance Function, and the UK Statistics Authority is responsible for the Analysis Function. The Evaluation Task Force, a joint HM Treasury and Cabinet Office Unit, was set up in April 2021 to “deliver a step-change in the scale, quality and impact of evaluation practice in government”.
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Government response AI summary
The Evaluation Task Force (ETF) was established in 2021 as a joint HM Treasury and Cabinet Office unit. The ETF will also publish its strategy which will explain how it is working to improve the evaluation system in greater detail, including indicators to measure progress.
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HM Treasury
7
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Use of evaluation and m…
Acknowledged
HM Treasury has used the last two spending reviews to increase the emphasis on evaluation in departments, but acknowledges it has a lot more to do to address the persistent problems which prevent the provision and use of evaluation.17 Working with the Evaluation Task Force, HM Treasury asked departments to …
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HM Treasury has used the last two spending reviews to increase the emphasis on evaluation in departments, but acknowledges it has a lot more to do to address the persistent problems which prevent the provision and use of evaluation.17 Working with the Evaluation Task Force, HM Treasury asked departments to provide evaluation evidence for each line of capital budget spend, and for each new line of resource budget spend.18 All of this is a welcome step forward, but we are disappointed that HM Treasury did not make use of its powers earlier, despite the NAO recommending it in 2013.19
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Government response AI summary
The Evaluation Task Force is working with HM Treasury to ensure that departments respond to and deliver on their settlement conditions relating to evaluation, captured in a central tracking system and monitored by senior officials; approval for future funding can be withheld if departments don't …
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HM Treasury
10
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Use of evaluation and m…
Acknowledged
While HM Treasury is an important user of department’s models, it does not comprehensively scrutinise and challenge a department’s quality assurance arrangements for the models it uses. There is no requirement for the Aqua Book to be followed as part of the investment approval process nor as part of the …
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While HM Treasury is an important user of department’s models, it does not comprehensively scrutinise and challenge a department’s quality assurance arrangements for the models it uses. There is no requirement for the Aqua Book to be followed as part of the investment approval process nor as part of the spending review process.29 HM Treasury told us it would want assurance that the department had taken the Aqua Book and its guidance into account, but it does not specifically check.30
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Government response AI summary
The Government Analysis Function is piloting an assessment framework to monitor departments' implementation of the Analysis Functional Standard; the ONS is considering the future scope of the Analysis Function; HM Treasury will ensure staff who use outputs from other departments are able to confidently assure …
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HM Treasury
13
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Use of evaluation and m…
Acknowledged
When producing and using models, poor data can lead to additional time and increased difficulty when quality assuring the model inputs. This difficulty is compounded by a lack of data standards across government which means there are inconsistent ways of recording the same information.40 When dealing with new situations, such …
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When producing and using models, poor data can lead to additional time and increased difficulty when quality assuring the model inputs. This difficulty is compounded by a lack of data standards across government which means there are inconsistent ways of recording the same information.40 When dealing with new situations, such as the rapidly changing pandemic, the Analysis Function told us that Government needs to be fast and agile at sharing data.41 The NAO’s survey showed differences in how satisfied chief analysts were with evaluation support from the centre of government and revealed they were least satisfied with support for sharing data.42 The integrated data service, launched in October 2021, aims to help departments better share and access data.43 34 C&AG’s Report, Financial modelling in government, para 9 35 Q 62 36 C&AG’s Report, Financial modelling in government, para 2.9 37 C&AG’s Report, Challenges in using data across government, Session 2017–19, HC 2220, June 2019 38 Committee of Public Accounts, Covid 19: supporting the vulnerable during lockdown, 53rd Report of Session 2019–21, HC 938, April 2021; Committee of Public Accounts, Tackling the tax gap, 20th Report of Session 2019–21, HC 650, October 2020; Committee of Public Accounts, Gambling regulation: problem gambling and protecting vulnerable people, 7th Report of Session 2019–21, HC 134, June 2020; Committee of Public Accounts, COVID-19: housing people sleeping rough, 49th Report of Session 2019–21, HC 934, March 2021; Committee of Public Accounts, Fraud and error, 9th Report of Session 2021–22, HC 253, June 2021 39 Committee of Public Accounts, Challenges in using data across government, 118th Report of Session 2017–19, HC 2492, September 2019 40 Q 45; C&AG’s Report, Financial modelling in government, paras 2.9–2.9 41 Qq 40, 65 42 C&AG’s Report, Evaluating government spending, para 18 43 Q45; C&AG’s Report, Evaluating government spending, paras 18, 3.28 12 Use of evaluation and modelling in govern
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Government response AI summary
The Cabinet Office will address barriers to data sharing and use through the national data strategy, with complete delivery by April 2025 and an interim progress report by December 2023; the CDDO has published the Data Sharing Governance Framework and is establishing the Data Sharing …
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HM Treasury