Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Acknowledged
NS&I's "good news" culture fosters over-optimism and hinders Programme progress assessment.
Conclusion
We asked the chief executive if he was creating a ‘good news’ culture, which the NAO has identified as a factor in why programmes resets may not work, and which can lead to a situation where decisions are not made and disagreements between stakeholders are not resolved. He told us that having a “can-do” attitude meant NS&I staff were committed to its objectives and transformation, which was “invaluable”, and he was pleased to see higher scores on NS&I’s recent annual staff engagement survey.32 But these scores do not give a full view of the lack of progress on the Programme because the survey only covers NS&I employees and not the large number of suppliers working on the Programme, meaning NS&I is missing an external perspective.33 We questioned whether NS&I had taken action to ensure a “good news culture” did not prevail, but NS&I gave us no details, and could only acknowledge the importance of the tone set from the top.34 NS&I conceded there had been occasions when its culture led to staff being overly optimistic about the delivery of the Programme.35
Government response summary AI-generated
The Treasury and NS&I acknowledge concerns about a 'good news' culture and are committed to addressing them through robust planning, risk management, and governance, including developing a comprehensive integrated plan and strengthening systems integration capabilities.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government · verbatim extract
Acknowledged
The Treasury and NS&I acknowledge these concerns and are committed to addressing them through robust planning, risk management, and governance. NS&I is working to develop a comprehensive integrated plan that includes clear timelines, cost estimates, and resource allocation. NS&I has strengthened its systems integration capabilities and is ensuring that decisions are based on sound evidence and analysis.
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