Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 12
12
In the third and most recent wave of funding that started in 2019–20, it took...
Conclusion
In the third and most recent wave of funding that started in 2019–20, it took UKRI, the Department and HM Treasury 72 weeks to select and approve challenges.32 We asked the Department and UKRI why it took them over a year to select and approve challenges. The Department told us that fundamentally the time taken was because it was a difficult process, but recognised that overall it had taken too long and committed to a faster process next time. It identified three reasons for the day: that it had been more open to receiving ideas for challenges and had to consider over 250 proposals as a result; the business cases themselves were challenging because they needed to demonstrate that the Fund was supporting research that could be considered ‘genuinely incremental’; and it had to make sure that proposals were relevant to the Industrial Strategy.33
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: October 2021 6.2 The government recognises the impact that an elongated approvals process can have on the participants to Challenges. A key consideration in the design of the delivery model for future challenges will be to consider a more streamlined approach to selecting and approving Challenges, with a simpler governance structure, while still conforming to Green Book requirements. 6.3 There are established improvement programmes already underway within UKRI to improve business operations and customer experience. These include initiatives seeking to improve the project application and approval processes as well as enhancing the experience of businesses who bid for and receive funding. The department will write to the Committee by October 2021 to set out the plans to improve the speed of future challenge funding approvals and update the Committee on progress in relation to project approval improvements.