Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Not Addressed
The Parliamentary Accounting Officers have not made clear whether the House authorities can deliver the...
Recommendation
The Parliamentary Accounting Officers have not made clear whether the House authorities can deliver the work envisaged by Parliament. We are concerned that the Clerks may feel constrained in sharing their professional views as Accounting and Corporate officers on what is deliverable. For government programmes, Accounting Officers must assess the delivery risks, publishing a summary of these, and seek a ministerial direction should they consider what they are being asked to do is undeliverable. In January 2020 the Speaker of the House established a new procedure, modelled on Accounting Officers’ ability to seek a ministerial direction, allowing the Clerk of the House to place a statement of his views in the House of Commons Library, if he feels a decision taken by the Speaker comprises either a substantial breach of the Standing Orders, or a departure from long-established conventions, without authorisation by the House itself.1 The Clerks have not shared their views on what work could be delivered. The Commissions convened an independent panel to provide them with advice and assurance on both the governance options and proposed approach to the work. The Commissions considered the independent panel’s review in June 2022, subsequently publishing this as part of a joint report setting out areas the Houses would be invited to vote on. Recommendations: Given their roles as Accounting and Corporate Officers, the Clerks should make available to Members their expert advice on the future programme governance and the viability of different approach to the works. Should the Clerks be tasked with delivering a programme which they cannot assure themselves is value for money, or the best use of taxpayers’ funds, then following the principle of transparency set out by the Speaker in January 2020, 1 Letter from the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, to the Clerk of the House, Dr John Benger, January 29, 2020 Restoration and Renewal of Parliament 9 they should write to the Commons and Lord
Government Response Summary
The government's response provides lists of Treasury Minutes responses for previous sessions without addressing the specific recommendation about the Clerks making their expert advice available and writing to the Commons and Lords should they be tasked with delivering a programme which they cannot assure themselves is value for money.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
List of Treasury Minutes responses for Sessions 2010-15 are annexed in the government’s response to PAC Report 52 Session 2019 Committee Recommendations: 11 Recommendations agreed: 11 (100%) Recommendations disagreed: 0 Publication Date PAC Reports Ref Number January 2020 Government response to PAC report [112-119] 1 and 2 CP 210 Session 2017-19 Committee Recommendations: 747 Recommendations agreed: 675 (90%) Recommendations disagreed: 72 (10%) Publication Date PAC Reports Ref Number December 2017 Government response to PAC report 1 Cm 9549 January 2018 Government responses to PAC reports 2 and 3 Cm 9565 March 2018 Government responses to PAC reports 4-11 Cm 9575 March 2018 Government responses to PAC reports 12-19 Cm 9596 May 2018 Government responses to PAC reports 20-30 Cm 9618 June 2018 Government responses to PAC reports 31-37 Cm 9643 July 2018 Government responses to PAC reports 38-42 Cm 9667 October 2018 Government responses to PAC reports 43-58 Cm 9702 December 2018 Government responses to PAC reports 59-63 Cm 9740 January 2019 Government responses to PAC reports 64-68 CP 18 March 2019 Government responses to PAC reports 69-71 CP 56 April 2019 Government responses to PAC reports 72-77 CP 79 May 2019 Government responses to PAC reports 78-81 and 83-85 CP 97 June 2019 Government responses to PAC reports 82, 86-92 CP 113 July 2019 Government responses to PAC reports 93-94 and 96-98 CP 151 October 2019 Government responses to PAC reports 95, 99-111 CP 176 January 2020 Government response to PAC reports 112-119 [1 and 2] CP 210 Session 2016-17 Committee Recommendations: 393 Recommendations agreed: 356 (91%) Recommendations disagreed: 37 (9%) Publication Date PAC Reports Ref Number November 2016 Government responses to PAC reports 1-13 Cm 9351 December 2016 Government responses to PAC reports 14-21 Cm 9389 February 2017 Government responses to PAC reports 22-25 and 28 Cm 9413 March 2017 Government responses to PAC reports 26-27 and 29-34 Cm 9429 March 2017 Government responses to PAC reports 35-41 Cm 9433 October 2017 Government responses to PAC reports 42-44 and 46-64 Cm 9505 Session 2015-16 Committee Recommendations: 262 Recommendations agreed: 225 (86%) Recommendations disagreed: 37 (14%) Publication Date PAC Reports Ref Number December 2015 Government responses to PAC reports 1 to 3 Cm 9170 January 2016 Government responses to PAC reports 4 to 8 Cm 9190 March 2016 Government responses to PAC reports 9 to 14 Cm 9220 March 2016 Government responses to PAC reports 15-20 Cm 9237 April 2016 Government responses to PAC reports 21-26 Cm 9260 May 2016 Government responses to PAC reports 27-33 Cm 9270 July 2016 Government responses to PAC reports 34-36; 38; and 40-42 Cm 9323 November 2016 Government responses to PAC reports 37 and 39 (part 1) Cm 9351 December 2016 Government response to PAC report 39 (part 2) Cm 9389 Treasury Minutes Progress Reports Archive Treasury Minutes Progress Reports provide updates on the implementation of recommendations from the Committee of Public Accounts. These reports are Command Papers laid in Parliament. Publication Date PAC Reports Ref Number Session 2013-14: updates on 1 PAC report June 2022 Session 2017-19: updates on 27 PAC reports CP 691 Session 2019-21: updates on 34 PAC reports Session 2021-22: updates on 30 PAC reports Session 2013-14: updates on 1 PAC report Session 2016-17: updates on 3 PAC reports November 2021 Session 2017-19: updates on 33 PAC reports CP 549 Session 2019: updates on 2 PAC reports Session 2019-21: updates on 47 PAC reports Session 2021-22: updates on 5 PAC reports Session 2010-12: updates on 1 PAC report Session 2013-14: updates on 1 PAC report Session 2015-16: updates on 0 PAC reports May 2021 Session 2016-17: updates on 4 PAC reports CP 424 Session 2017-19: updates on 47 PAC reports Session 2019: updates on 2 PAC reports Session 2019-21: updates on 28 PAC reports Session 2010-12: updates on 1 PAC report Session 2013-14: updates on 1 PAC report Session 2015-16: updates on 0 PAC reports November 2020 CP 313 Session 2016-17: updates on 7 PAC reports Session 2017-19: updates on 73 PAC reports Session 2019: updates on 2 reports Session 2010-12: updates on 2 PAC reports Session 2013-14: updates on 1 PAC report February 2020 Session 2015-16: updates on 3 PAC reports CP 221 Session 2016-17: updates on 14 PAC reports Session 2017-19: updates on 71 PAC reports Session 2010-12: updates on 2 PAC reports Session 2013-14: updates on 4 PAC reports Session 2014-15: updates on 2 PAC reports March 2019 C