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Select Committee · Public Accounts Committee

Condition of Government properties

Status: Closed Opened: 15 Jan 2025 Closed: 21 Aug 2025 6 recommendations 22 conclusions 1 report

The Government owns and manages all kinds of property for the delivery of public services and to support its own operations – from hospitals, schools and prisons, to courts, museums, warehouses and more. The estate overall is valued at around £187.1bn, as of March 2023, with annual running costs of £22bn. Ministry of Defence and …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
29th Report - Condition of Government property HC 641 11 Jun 2025 28 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
10 Conclusion 29th Report - Condition of Government p… Acknowledged

Government acknowledges poor property condition as an unacceptable risk to civil service delivery.

The government has identified poor property condition as a significant risk. The Civil Service Board, which supports the strategic leadership of the civil service, considers unsafe property to be one of the risks to the civil service’s ability to deliver the government’s objectives, and assesses it to be outside of …

Government response. The Civil Service Board considers unsafe property to be one of the risks to the civil service’s ability to deliver the government’s objectives, and assesses it to be outside of its appetite.
HM Treasury
11 Conclusion 29th Report - Condition of Government p… Acknowledged

Addressing RAAC risks in government estates diverted resources from other civil service initiatives.

The NAO reported that civil service resources for other initiatives have been diverted to deal with risks relating to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) across government.18 We asked the Cabinet Office about RAAC and how it has impacted the delivery of the work. The OGP told us that resources were …

Government response. Resources were diverted to coordinate efforts across governments to identify RAAC issues and put in place mitigation plans; seven hospitals in the poorest condition were rebuilt through the New Hospital Programme, while RAAC has largely been repaired in the other …
HM Treasury
12 Conclusion 29th Report - Condition of Government p… Acknowledged

OGP developing expertise to identify and prevent future property risks from new construction methods.

We questioned whether government is adequately prepared to prevent future risks, similar to the sudden emergence of RAAC and asbestos, from affecting property unexpectedly. The OGP stated that it has a clear picture of RAAC and asbestos across all of government. It is now bringing together knowledge and expertise in …

Government response. The OGP is bringing together knowledge and expertise to better support departments in identifying risks, and that it is important to identify how new methods of construction bring future risks into the estate.
HM Treasury
22 Conclusion 29th Report - Condition of Government p… Acknowledged

OGP and Cabinet Office developing workforce plans to address property professional fluctuations

We asked the OGP how it plans to address fluctuations in property professionals. The OGP told us it is working with departments to adjust their workforce plans. The Cabinet Office is also producing its first strategic workforce plan in summer 2025, alongside maintaining oversight of supply and demand trends.45

Government response. The OGP is working with departments to adjust their workforce plans, and the Cabinet Office is producing its first strategic workforce plan in summer 2025, alongside maintaining oversight of supply and demand trends.
HM Treasury

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
31 Mar 2025 Cat Little · Cabinet Office, Mark Chivers · Cabinet Office, Mike Green · Defence Infrastructure Organisation View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters
DateDirectionTitle
4 Sep 2025 To cttee Letter from the Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and Cabinet Office Perman…
24 Apr 2025 To cttee Letter from the Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and Permanent Secretary o…