Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Accepted
Currently, ten of the twelve portfolios have a lead department.
Conclusion
Currently, ten of the twelve portfolios have a lead department. The science and land portfolios do not have a lead.32 Given the importance of portfolio management to government’s plans for the estate, and in ensuring a single point of accountability, we queried why two portfolios did not have a designated lead. The Cabinet Office agreed there should be “a single owner” for those portfolios. However, it told us it would require a series of conversations with the relevant departments before agreeing which departments will take ownership of these two portfolios.33 Although numerous departments own science and land assets, the Cabinet Office believes there are logical candidates to serve as leads and these lead departments could be named by March 2023.34 The hubs programme
Government Response Summary
The government agreed with the Committee’s recommendation to name lead departments for the science and land portfolios and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has agreed to be the portfolio lead for the land portfolio and the lead is likely to be the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) for the science portfolio.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
3. PAC conclusion: The land and science property portfolios do not have clear leads, which frustrates decision making and creates a lack of accountability for their management. 3. PAC recommendation: 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 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. 3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 3.2 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.