Recommendation 3

The land and science property portfolios do not have clear leads, which frustrates decision making and creates a lack of accountability for their management. In 2021, the Cabinet Office organised government property into twelve portfolios, such as health or defence, based on how property is used. Ten portfolios have a lead department. The science and land portfolios do not. The portfolio lead provides a single point of contact and accountability for those assets. The Cabinet Office recognises that there should be a single owner of the land and science portfolios but has not yet designated leads. Recommendation 3: In its Treasury Minute response to this report, the Cabinet Office should name lead departments for the science and land portfolios. If it is not 6 Managing central government property able to at that point, then we expect to receive separate correspondence alongside the Treasury Minute providing the reasons for this delay, including a timeline for when a decision will be made.