Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 26
26
Ahead of the end of the transition period departments focused on putting in place an...
Conclusion
Ahead of the end of the transition period departments focused on putting in place an initial operating capability at the UK border. The new IT systems, or changes to existing systems, required to provide this capability were all delivered as planned for the end of the transition period. The NAO reports that considerable work is needed to move beyond this initial capability and deliver the additional capacity needed to deal with 70 Q 25 71 Q 60 72 Q 115 73 Q 161 74 Qq 184, 186 75 Qq 147, 148 76 Q 179 77 HM Government, 2025 UK Border Strategy, CP 352, December 2020 78 C&AG’s Report, para 3.42 79 BUDGET 2021: Protecting the jobs and livelihoods of the British people (publishing.service.gov.uk), paras 2.190, 4.109 80 Q 172 18 EU Exit: UK Border post transition increased volumes of declarations, ensure the resilience of systems and provide additional functionality to support the introduction of full import controls.81 Our recent report on Challenges in implementing digital change highlighted that delivering complex, large-scale digital programmes remains very challenging for government.82 For example, the Home Office’s programme to replace the police national computer has been delayed by at least five years and seen cost overruns of more than £400 million.83
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
7: PAC 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. 7: PAC 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. 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.