Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 12
12
The Department failed to act on risks that were being flagged.
Conclusion
The Department failed to act on risks that were being flagged. The Committee noted that ongoing issues existed but that the Department did not address them, in part because information was not being communicated effectively by the programme team to the wider Department.23 Since the programme reset the Department claims to have streamlined its oversight of the programme, including closer scrutiny by its digital and data programme staff and with monthly reports from the SRO to the Border Force board.24 Difficulties in delivering technical aspects
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
2: PAC conclusion: The Department has failed to identify, acknowledge and be transparent about problems within the Digital Services at the Border programme. 2: PAC recommendation: The Department should report back to the Committee on: • its mechanisms for oversight and assurance of delivery and how it knows whether they are working; • any costs incurred from deviating from the Department’s delivery plans. 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented: 2.2 The programme was independently reviewed and reset in 2019 including rescoping and re-planning. The business case was revised and was then approved by the Home Office Portfolio Investment Committee and HM Treasury in July 2020. Since reset, the programme has delivered all key milestones on time and has spent in line with budget forecasts. 2.3 The programme has robust assurance oversight processes including independent reviews and checks by, including: the IPA (most recent review in June 2020 and next review planned for July 2021), the Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA) and quarterly reporting to the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). The programme was also included in the Ministerial challenge work through 2020. The department will report back to the Committee to provide the outcome of the July 2021 IPA report. 2.4 There are monthly programme boards chaired by the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) where delivery plans, risks and dependencies are managed, and this ensures appropriate decisions, escalation routes and solutions are provided to ensure delivery to plans is maintained. 2.5 A dedicated programme assurance lead was appointed in November 2020 to coordinate assurance activity and ensure that all recommendations are tracked and reported against. The programme also has representatives of IPA, GIAA and Home Office wide independent internal assurance embedded in the programme as board members. 2.6 Programme finances are reviewed by the programme board, and since the programme rescope and revised business case spend has tracked to profile and is forecast to be within budget tolerances at the 2020-21 financial year end. Since 2019, there has been no deviation from major delivery milestones and no additional costs incurred.