Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Government’s ambition for the UK to have the “world’s most effective border by 2025” relies...
Conclusion
Government’s ambition for the UK to have the “world’s most effective border by 2025” relies on cross-government digital programmes, in which it does not have a good track record. In December 2020 the government published its strategy to put in place the “world’s most effective border” by 2025, this set out the government’s strategic objectives and target operating model for the border at a high level but does not contain any significant detail about the delivery plans underpinning these. To support delivery of the strategy, the October 2021 Spending Review provided £838 8 EU Exit: UK Border post transition million to deliver critical customs IT systems and £180 million to deliver a single trade window. HMRC considers these investments should make it easier for traders by making the system simpler and ensuring they only have to submit information once. Defra is also working on a range of digital solutions to reduce burdens on traders. While departments did well putting in place the initial IT capability needed for January 2021, government does not generally have a good track record delivering large-scale IT projects, as illustrated for example in our recent report on Challenges in implementing digital change. HMRC also needs to migrate all users from its existing customs system to the new Customs Declaration Service (CDS). Completing this migration will be challenging given that, by October 2021, only 42 of 5,000 users had moved across. HMRC expects to see a big increase in traders migrating after January, once they have adapted to the introduction of import controls. Recommendation: Government should write to the Committee, within six months, setting out the timetable for its planned programme of work to create the world’s most effective border by 2025, and the key risks it will need to manage in taking this forward.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
7.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: October 2022 7.2 Delivery of the 2025 Border Strategy is well underway, and programmes and pilots will deliver tangible benefits to UK businesses over this year. The 2021 Spending Review committed to spend over £1 billion over the coming years on border transformation. Now long- term budgets for the major transformative programmes across government and industry have been confirmed, the government will work with industry to create a full transformation roadmap. 7.3 The Cabinet Office has worked with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority to design and implement cross-departmental governance structures that ensure strategy, design, delivery and performance are fully integrated across the border’s portfolio. This new governance structure has been proved effective over the past year as the government implemented import controls for goods being imported from the EU to the UK and will ensure delivery of the strategy continues to be coordinated effectively. 7.4 The government will continue to use best practice to manage delivery risks for major border transformation projects, for example, the UK Single Trade Window is part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio. 7.5 The government will write to the Committee by October 2022 to provide an update on this work and share the roadmap it has developed for transformation of the UK border.