Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
11
To address the lack of overall oversight for both evaluation and modelling standards, the Analysis...
Conclusion
To address the lack of overall oversight for both evaluation and modelling standards, the Analysis Function intends to strengthen the governance framework for the Analysis Functional Standard, including introducing a self-assessment framework to assess performance against the standard.31 The Analysis Function told us there will be an expectation in the future that departmental directors of analysis use the self-assessment framework to report back to the Function annually on how well the department has applied the standards.32 The Function told us it believes it does not currently have enough resources for this expanded oversight and assurance role.33 In the 2020 Spending Review, 21 C&AG’s Report, Evaluating government spending, para 3.33 22 Q 27 23 Qq 2, 5, 7 24 Q 1; C&AG’s Report, Evaluating government spending, para 3 25 Q 18; C&AG’s Report, Evaluating government spending, para 1.5; C&AG’s Report, Financial modelling in government, para 1.12, Box 4.1A 26 Financial modelling in government, para 14 27 Qq 18–19; C&AG’s Report, Financial modelling in government, para 1.12 28 C&AG’s Report, Financial modelling in government, para 7 29 C&AG’s Report, Financial modelling in government, para 1.10, Figure 4 30 Q 36 31 C&AG’s Report, Financial modelling in government, Figure 4 32 Qq 16, 18; C&AG’s Report, Financial modelling in government, para 1.7 33 Q 62; C&AG’s Report, Financial modelling in government, para 1.7 Use of evaluation and modelling in government 11 the Analysis Function submitted a bid for £4.9 million to fund 71 full-time equivalent staff. With the change of scope of the Spending Review, HM Treasury did not review this bid so the Analysis Function remained funded at the original rate of £1.3 million.34 The Analysis Function told us it intends to request additional funding from HM Treasury after ongoing internal reviews of scope and governance are completed.35 Data challenges
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: March 2023 3.2 The Government Analysis Function is currently in the process of piloting the assessment framework which will allow departments to monitor their implementation of the Analysis Functional Standard. Piloting will ensure the framework will help departments to understand what is working well and where changes are needed. The aim is to finalise the framework over the Summer 2022, so that departments will have sufficient time to conduct the assessment during the remainder of the financial year. 8 3.3 Departments will be asked to identify what changes they are planning to make based on the feedback from the assessment framework by the end of 2022-23, so that the Government Analysis Function can monitor the impact that the Framework is having and understand where further action may be required. 3.4 Working with HM Treasury, and reflecting on the recommendations from the Committee, the ONS is considering the future scope of the Analysis Function and the work it undertakes to support wider government analytical capability. 3.5 HM Treasury will also build on its current training offer and ensure that staff who use outputs from other departments are able to confidently assure that these outputs have been quality assured with modelling standards consistent with the Aqua Book and Analysis Functional Standard.