Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 18
18
Not Addressed
FCDO's maintenance backlog was severely underestimated, necessitating external professionals for accurate assessment.
Conclusion
In November 2023, FCDO recognised that its £150 million estimate of its overseas estate maintenance backlog was likely to be an underestimate and commissioned professional surveyors to conduct a one-off exercise to identify the true backlog.47 FCDO ran a programme between April and October 2024 to collect data at 100 posts, which allowed FCDO to calculate that its true maintenance backlog was £450 million.48 FCDO told us that it employed professionals to do this asset data collection because it did not have the capacity on the ground to do it. At the same time, FCDO told us it has also been training posts and that around 1,500 staff had participated in training to improve estate data collection.49 45 Q 31 46 Qq 50, 74; C&AG’s report, para 1.24 47 C&AG’s report, para 2.7 48 Qq 27, 45 49 Q 50 13
Government Response Summary
Acknowledges the committee's conclusion that FCDO's overseas estate is in poor condition and has a large maintenance backlog.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
2. PAC conclusion: Much of FCDO’s overseas estate is in poor condition, and its estates maintenance backlog would cost an estimated £450 million to resolve.