Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Accepted
The land and science property portfolios do not have clear leads, which frustrates decision making...
Recommendation
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.
Government Response Summary
Defra has agreed to be the portfolio lead for the land portfolio, and the lead for the science portfolio is likely to be the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), with a further update to be provided before summer recess.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented The land and science property portfolios are currently led within multiple departments with accountability for their management resting with separate accounting officers and with decision-making undertaken on an individual department basis. The Cabinet Office agrees there would be benefit from greater oversight and coordination of these portfolios by naming a lead department. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has agreed to be the portfolio lead for the land portfolio; this has also been agreed with the other departments in scope of the portfolio. On the science portfolio, the lead is likely to be the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). This will be finalised following the conclusion of the machinery of government changes that are necessary for the creation of the new department. A further update will be provided to the committee before summer recess.