Recommendation 16

The Cabinet Office told us that because AO assessments focus on individual programmes they do not describe systemic risks, although particular themes may replicate themselves across individual programmes. While HM Treasury said that AO assessments were not the way to see common themes and risks faced by programmes, lessons could be learnt by looking across these assessments. For example, how to assess value for money and the approach to considering and then dealing with strategic risks.47 As such, although the Infrastructure and Projects Authority’s (IPA) primary role is to assess programme delivery, it was surprising to hear that it did not see AO assessments and that it saw little value in seeing them.48 IPA also told us that, while it had not “historically played a part in AO assessments” there was scope for it to “test and challenge” whether one is expected and, if it is, whether it exists.49 Future challenges