Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 22
22
Accepted
NISTA improves governance culture by strengthening reporting, assurance, and project delivery training.
Recommendation
We noted the importance of governance culture and asked how NISTA will address recurring themes around poor governance and decision- making. NISTA highlighted the importance of reporting and assurance to make the right decisions at the right time. NISTA told us it has been working on improving and growing the project delivery function and ensuring standards and training are consistent.42 NISTA also told us it has put 1,376 people through the Major Projects Leadership Academy (MPLA), nearly 3,000 people in the project leadership programme, and 135 directors general through Orchestrating Major Projects training. NISTA highlighted that 81% of Senior Responsible Owners across the GMPP have completed or are part way through the MPLA training.43 NISTA’s stretching range of responsibilities
Government Response Summary
The Treasury will strengthen departmental skills by tying higher Delegated Authority Limits to upholding standards, requiring accredited project professionals and senior specialists on project boards, and ensuring SROs have the right experience and support.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4. PAC conclusion: NISTA still has work to do to ensure that it gains assurance about progress with all major projects and that they are governed and assured effectively. 4. PAC recommendation: In its Treasury Minute response, the Treasury should set out what it and NISTA will be doing to improve governance and assurance of all major projects in the future - particularly at a Departmental level - to ensure oversight boards have the relevant skills mix, including what system-wide interventions it is planning to make. 4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 9 4.2 NISTA currently arranges and manages independent assurance reviews that provide recommendations on the readiness of individual projects to progress to the next stage. These also help identify thematic or common issues facing major projects and support the development of system level interventions or the development of guidance – for example the recent publication Improving Governance (for their website members) sets out the common challenges facing major projects and offers practical advice to address these, including strengthening oversight boards. NISTA is also refining its data management processes to make this analysis more systematic in future. Following recent developments, including publication of the Teal Book, 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, OVFM and Stewart recommendations, NISTA will be reviewing and consulting on the assurance framework holistically to address these. Further information on next steps will be available once this review is complete to address these. Further information on next steps will be available once this review is complete. 4.3 The Treasury will strengthen the capability and skills of departments to govern and assure major projects by tying higher Delegated Authority Limits to departments upholding and evidencing compliance with standards. Working through the finance, commercial, digital and project delivery functions, the Treasury will require departments and ALBs to ensure that project and portfolio boards include accredited project professionals and senior specialists, and that SROs have the right experience and support.