Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 18
18
Accepted
Political pressure often leads to underestimating the necessary time for proper programme resets.
Conclusion
The SROs highlighted to us the need to take appropriate time to ‘do the job properly’. For the Ajax programme, the NAO found the Ministry of Defence had underestimated how long a reset would take. It expected to conclude negotiations to reset the contract in October 2017, but these took 15 months instead of two, with the legally binding agreement signed in December 2018. We heard from SROs how there is an understandable desire, and sometimes political pressure, to finish a reset as soon as possible.61
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the observation, committing that HM Treasury and the IPA will publish guidance for project delivery professionals by June 2024, outlining factors influencing reset times to ensure departments allow sufficient time.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: June 2024 4.2 HM Treasury and the IPA will set out to project delivery professionals what factors influence the time required to undertake a reset, such as the overall complexity of the programme or project, so that departments allow sufficient time to undertake resets properly. 4.3 The IPA’s ‘response to red’ process provides a structured route to escalate underperforming projects and programmes that may need to be reset. This seeks to balance supporting projects and programmes by giving them time and space to undertake a reset with ensuring efficiency and value for money are at the heart of decision making.