Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Not Addressed
Programme leadership capacity significantly diminished following staff departures and recruitment difficulties.
Conclusion
During this time, the House Administrations also worked to transition from the former Sponsor Body into the R&R Client Team. We have previously highlighted the risk that delays to changing the programme governance, and continuing uncertainty, could lead to a loss of vital capability from within the Sponsor Body and Delivery Authority.29 The Clerks had committed to work on retaining and recruiting the staff it needed, with Sponsor Body staff being TUPE’d across.30 Although the House Administrations have made progress bringing the Sponsor body staff ‘in-house’, the reset resulted in the entire leadership team of the Sponsor Body leaving.31 In terms of filling these gaps, the programme SRO told us that success recruiting to a number of roles, such as business case director and Head of Risk, had been mixed. She described it as not being easy to fill these roles, with some feedback that people had been put off by the uncertain and political nature of the programme.32 However, the Delivery Authority Chief Executive told us that although he had been very concerned that, given the programme’s change in direction, people would leave, he was pleased this risk had not materialised. He highlighted though that the risk was still there.33
Government Response Summary
The government's response outlines future programme milestones for presenting a strategic case and developing costed proposals but does not address the committee's specific observations regarding challenges in staff transition, loss of leadership, and difficulties in recruiting to key roles within the R&R programme.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The Clerk of the House, Clerk of the Parliaments, Client Team and the Delivery Authority agree with the Committee’s recommendations. First bullet – interim milestones We agree that it is critical to present a strategic case with a proposed way forward for the R&R programme this year to both Houses. Following that direction detailed costed proposals must be developed as soon as practical, allowing a decision, as set out under the R&R Act, on delivery of the programme. The key milestones for the Programme over the next 12 months are set out below. Updates on these will be included in regular quarterly progress reports to be published by the R&R Programme Board now that the new governance has been implemented. The first of these reports was published on 6 June and is available on the Programme Board’s website.1 Key Programme Milestones Milestone Description Programme Delivery Agreement Agreed December 2022 COMPLETE Statutory Instrument in force The Statutory instrument to amend the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act and bring the sponsorship of the Programme into Parliament came into force on 1 January 2023 December 2022 COMPLETE R&R Options Assessment Complete A wider range of options has been developed and assessed by the Delivery Authority ready for presentation to the R&R Programme Board January 2023 COMPLETE 2023/24 Intrusive Surveys Plan agreed March 2023 COMPLETE R&R Options shortlisting started with Programme R&R Programme Board will be considering the range of Board R&R options and proposing a shortlist of those for endorsement by the R&R Client Board. March 2023 COMPLETE R&R Options Shortlist, Strategic Objectives and vision endorsed by the Client Board This shortlist of options along with strategic objectives and a vision will be part of the strategic case brought back to the Houses at the end of 2023. July 2023 ONGOING Early and enabling works design started Developing plans and designs for early R&R works integrated with ongoing works on the estate. July 2023 ONGOING Strategic case endorsed by Client Board The strategic case will make recommendations to both Houses on the way ahead for R&R. October 2023 NOT STARTED Strategic case presented to the Houses A motion will be put to both Houses to agree the way ahead for R&R based on the strategic case recommendations. December 2023 NOT STARTED 2024/25 Delivery Authority Budget Approved Agreed to the future Delivery Authority budget based on the way ahead agreed by both Houses. March 2024 NOT STARTED The options which are shortlisted this year and agreed in a strategic case in December 2023 will then be developed further in an outline business case. This outline business case will inform the detailed costed proposals for the works, as required under the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act 2019 (the Act), Section 7, to allow the Houses to take a decision about delivering the works in Phase 2 of the Programme. The timing of engagement around the costed proposals and a decision, as set out in the Act, in 2024 or 2025 will also need to take into account any general election period, making it hard to be definitive at this stage.