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Whole of Government Accounts

Status: Closed Opened: 26 Apr 2022 Closed: 14 Dec 2022 21 recommendations 6 conclusions 1 report

The Whole of Government Accounts (WGA) is a unique document which provides the most complete and accurate picture available of UK public sector finances. A set of financial statements prepared by HM Treasury in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, it consolidates information on the financial performance of over 9,000 public sector bodies including central …

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Twentieth Report - Whole of Government Accounts 2019–20 HC 31 14 Oct 2022 27 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
1 Conclusion Twentieth Report - Whole of Government … Acknowledged

Based on the Whole of Government Accounts (WGA) for the year ended 31 March 2020,...

Based on the Whole of Government Accounts (WGA) for the year ended 31 March 2020, we took evidence from HM Treasury (the Treasury) on 8 June 2022.1 The WGA is a unique document which provides the most complete and accurate picture available of the UK public sector finances.2 It is …

Government response. The Treasury is revisiting the timetable for the 2020-21 account and future cycles and will write to the Committee setting out a long term recovery strategy to strengthen discipline within the system and investing in specialist project management support and …
HM Treasury
7 Conclusion Twentieth Report - Whole of Government … Acknowledged

Timeliness is essential when gathering high-quality data needed to produce useful information; delays reduce the...

Timeliness is essential when gathering high-quality data needed to produce useful information; delays reduce the value and transparency of information in the WGA and diminish its potential to generate valuable insights.17 The published accounts are an important source for key stakeholders including Parliament, and major fiscal bodies such as the …

Government response. The Treasury is revisiting the timetable for the 2020-21 account and future cycles in light of the causes of the delays both this year and for 2019-20, and will write to the Committee setting out a long term recovery strategy …
HM Treasury
8 Recommendation Twentieth Report - Whole of Government … Acknowledged

Throughout the course of the 2019–20 accounts preparation process, the Treasury repeatedly underestimated how long...

Throughout the course of the 2019–20 accounts preparation process, the Treasury repeatedly underestimated how long it would take to produce the WGA; missing both 11 Public Accounts Committee, Report of session: Whole of Government Accounts 2018–19, 22 January 2021 12 HM Treasury, The Whole of Government Accounts (Specified Dates) Order …

Government response. The Treasury is revisiting the timetable for the 2020-21 account and future cycles in light of the causes of the delays both this year and for 2019-20, and will write to the Committee setting out a long term recovery strategy …
HM Treasury
9 Recommendation Twentieth Report - Whole of Government … Acknowledged

The Treasury has laid out its aims for delivery of the 2020–21 and 2021–22 accounts,...

The Treasury has laid out its aims for delivery of the 2020–21 and 2021–22 accounts, setting target dates for publication of March 2023 and November 2023 respectively. This gives the Treasury less than 10 months from publication of the 2019–20 WGA for the preparation and audit of the 2020–21 accounts, …

Government response. The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation, acknowledging the unlikelihood of achieving the planned March 2023 publication date and stating they are revisiting the timetable and will write to the Committee with a long term recovery strategy.
HM Treasury

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
8 Jun 2022 Cat Little · Cabinet Office, Sir Tom Scholar · HM Treasury, Vicky Rock · HM Treasury View ↗

Correspondence

4 letters
DateDirectionTitle
12 Jan 2023 — Correspondence from Catherine Little, Second Permanent Secretary Head of Govern…
8 Nov 2022 — Correspondence from Dame Meg Hillier, Chair, Committee on Public Accounts to Ca…
17 Oct 2022 — Correspondence from Catherine Little, Director General, Public Spending HM Trea…
9 Mar 2022 — Correspondence from Dame Meg Hillier, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, t…