Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 19
19
NS&I admits significant skills gaps, particularly in systems integration, hindering programme delivery
Conclusion
We pushed NS&I to tell us if it now had the skills and capability it needed. NS&I acknowledged that it had needed to bring in more capability, including in systems integration and at senior levels.50 It also, eventually, recognised that for a Programme “this big and complex, we will not have all the skills”. NS&I said it now has non-executive directors with private sector experience of digital transformation. The Treasury added that appointing non-executive directors (NEDs) was giving it more confidence that costs were being managed by NS&I.51 The Treasury also noted that as this was a complex programme, a systems integrator is “very necessary”.52 This had not been in place from the start, and we noted that not managing systems integration is the cause of problems on other programmes.53
Government Response
Response Pending
HM Government
Response Pending
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.