Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 9
9
The Department’s slow progress in reducing the size of its estate is because its initial...
Conclusion
The Department’s slow progress in reducing the size of its estate is because its initial plans were unrealistic, and consequentially it has spent far too much time re-planning and re-organising. For example, since 2018 it has fundamentally revised its disposal plans three times, shifting away from prioritising disposals to optimising the use of its estate.11
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2022 3.2 The department will provide a report to the Committee immediately following the Ministers’ endorsement and subsequent update to Parliament. 3.3 The department has disposed of over 200 surplus sites since 2015 in line with expectations to the value of over £1 billion. The department has also been optimising its use of the current estate to ensure it is appropriately located, resilient and sustainable to provide better value for money. 3.4 Following the 2020 SR, DEO is now fully funded following a gap left by withdrawal of Private Finance funding. It will meet new capability demands and be an important but not exclusive part of optimising the estate. The DEO portfolio SRO has worked closely with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority and engaged with a client-side partner to provide private sector and industry knowledge for maximising returns. The SRO has also engaged with relevant cross-Whitehall stakeholders, such as the Cabinet Office and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.