Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 18
18
The National Audit Office’s report described how it is important that departments track the progress...
Conclusion
The National Audit Office’s report described how it is important that departments track the progress of efficiency plans, enabling timely intervention and providing assurance that the benefits promised are being realised.42 We questioned the Treasury and the Cabinet Office how it will track the progress of efficiency plans, including the extent to which they achieve their goals or have knock-on impacts.43 We were particularly interested in what processes were in place to monitor benefits realisation, and how they planned to mitigate the limitations of poor data when it comes to tracking progress.44 We also asked the Treasury for a detailed breakdown of which 2015 efficiency targets were met within the 2015 Spending Review period. The Treasury responded in writing that efficiency targets set at Spending Reviews cannot be tracked centrally, and that it is the responsibility of Accounting Officers to monitor and report on progress.45
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
5. PAC conclusion: Departments often struggle to track benefits as closely as they track costs 5: PAC recommendation: The Cabinet Office and Treasury should work together to ensure that the new system of departmental Outcome Delivery Plans is able to track the costs and benefits of efficiency plans for government as a whole. 5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 5.2 Beyond the regular reporting on whether efficiencies are being achieved, Outcome Delivery Plans (ODPs) also enable government to track progress in delivering real outcomes for citizens, with agreed funding. Departments have been commissioned to produce updated ODPs, covering 2022-2025. To support greater transparency for how public money is spent, departments provide a breakdown of planned spend by priority outcome or business unit through these plans. Reporting on these plans will ensure the government has an ongoing picture of departmental performance for the rest of the Parliament. This will allow Ministers and officials to identify where delivery against priority outcomes may be under pressure, as well as which programmes are not delivering expected results. 5.3 ODPs are then implemented through individual proposals which are subject to the business case process in line with the Treasury Approvals Process guidance. Major projects are entered on to the Government Major Projects Portfolio and are assured by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority. Treasury spending teams monitor departmental financial information on a monthly basis, and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury will hold departments to account on outcomes as part of routine spending discussions and through the approval of business cases. Through these processes, the government will then be able to take prompt action to improve performance and make better-evidenced decisions on future spending.