Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 4
4
The Department’s lamentable failure to implement a Single Living Accommodation Management Information System (SLAMIS) over...
Conclusion
The Department’s lamentable failure to implement a Single Living Accommodation Management Information System (SLAMIS) over the past eight years means it is unable to manage its Single Living Accommodation efficiently. Project SLAMIS was initiated in 2013 to provide basic information on the Single Living Accommodation estate of a kind that any organisation managing property would expect to have. Progress has been very slow, and the project was cancelled, then restarted, and now should be in service by 2022. We are extremely disappointed at this lack of progress for such a simple system, and have seen the Department having similar problems with other IT systems, such as that supporting army recruitment. The Department is developing a bespoke system instead of using platforms already available, which seems unnecessary given that other organisations already have systems to meet similar requirements. SLAMIS is expected to provide accommodation booking facilities and a picture of how accommodation is being used. This should aid investment decisions and help better match supply and demand of Single Living Accommodation. Although a substantial amount of Single Improving single living accommodation for service personnel 7 Living Accommodation is unoccupied, Substitute Service Single Accommodation (SSSA) cost the Department £32.4 million in 2019–20, with a large amount of SSSA located in London and Bristol. Recommendation: The Department should report back to the committee in six months on progress with delivering the SLAMIS system, including to confirm when in 2022 it will be fully operational.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
agree with the conclusion that a centrally directed system was chosen because of a lack of confidence in local authorities. Councils are crucial partners in delivery of shielding support to clinically extremely vulnerable individuals and since July 2020, councils and supermarkets have been supporting access to food. The shielding framework (co-designed with councils) includes a clear set of expectations regarding delivery of shielding support. From the autumn, the government provided councils with funding at a rate of £14.60 per CEV individual per four weeks whilst Shielding guidance was in place. 4.3 Outcomes data from councils in the most recent period of shielding demonstrated good performance in triaging and meeting requests for support from CEV individuals (including those added in February 2021 as a result of the QCovid® coronavirus risk prediction model). Councils’ confidence in their ability to meet requests for support consistently remained high. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) also tracked spend patterns, which will inform future review of funding. 4.4 Shielding was paused on 1 April 2021. As part of contingency planning, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has tested future delivery confidence with nearly all upper tier councils across England, finding that councils are confident in their ability to stand up shielding support rapidly in future. MHCLG continues to work closely with councils and to keep funding under review so councils can support those who need it, whilst providing value for money.