Recommendation 11

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