Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Accepted
Mission boards facilitate cross-departmental coordination for related projects to ensure value for money.
Recommendation
We asked the Treasury how it will ensure that projects, which are related to each other or are in the same area but sit within different departments, do complement each other and provide value for money. It told us that governance needs to be set up which has all the people round the table and that projects such as the Oxford-Cambridge arc are not just seen as a transport project. The Treasury highlighted that mission boards are designed to look at cross-cutting government issues.32 We noted that these arrangements sounded quite ad hoc and the Treasury told us that 29 Qq 59, 62, 69 30 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.6-2.7, 2.9 31 Q 42; Question for Treasury, Written questions and answers UK Parliament, UIN 20927, 18 December 2024 32 Q 43 12 the five missions “have very clear governance structures”.33 We asked how this works in practice when there are different departments and agencies working on related projects. It told us that the mission boards meet regularly and talk these interrelationships through, and that missions cover the vast majority of what the government is trying to achieve.34
Government Response Summary
The government agrees to write to the Committee with explanations and worked examples for how major and mega project governance will align with Mission and place-based governance in the delivery of the infrastructure strategy, alongside its Treasury Minute response.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
3. PAC conclusion: We are not yet convinced there is a coherent approach to making decisions on major projects as part of wider plans for local areas and national missions. 3. PAC recommendation: Alongside its Treasury Minute response, the Treasury should write to the Committee with explanations–with worked examples–for how it will ensure major and mega project governance will align with Mission and place- based governance in the delivery of the infrastructure strategy. 3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 3.2 The Treasury has written to the Committee alongside this report.