Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 6
6
The Department has made little impact in its efforts to change its longstanding cultural resistance...
Conclusion
The Department has made little impact in its efforts to change its longstanding cultural resistance to change or criticism, which has for many years hindered a clear-eyed view of its equipment procurement performance. Senior officials do not acknowledge the poor state of affairs of current procurement, as outlined in NAO reports and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority’s assessment of the Department’s performance. There is still intolerance of criticism within project teams, and 10% of MoD staff say that they have been subject to or witnessed bullying, harassment or discrimination. The Department has only implemented approximately half of the NAO’s Equipment Plan report recommendations since
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Autumn 2022 6.2 The department monitors progress of National Audit Office’s (NAO’s) Value for Money recommendations including Equipment Plan report recommendations. The status of the recommendations is reviewed annually. A summary of progress made on NAO and PAC recommendations is provided to the department’s Audit Assurance and Risk Committee (DARAC) on a quarterly basis. The department provided an update on the Equipment Plan PAC recommendations through refreshed Treasury Minutes published on 9 June 2022. One recommendation remains in progress under the Defence Equipment Plan 2020. 6.3 The department’s Acquisition Reform agenda includes work to promote critical acquisition behaviours and culture. This includes a ‘one team’ approach encouraging greater transparency on performance across organisational boundaries; applying judgement to tailor approaches based on ‘appropriate risk’ in support of timely evidence-based decisions; and embedding a ‘learning culture’. 6.4 Significant progress has been made in the use of management information, with data dashboards providing a single version of the truth being shared widely. 6.5 The department is forging closer links with industry through the Supplier Partnering Programme, to improve schedule alignment, risk and dependency management and management information sharing. 6.6 Further detail of progress with the recommendations and how this translates to changes to the plan will be provided as requested in the Autumn.