Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 23
23
Accepted
NISTA integrates infrastructure strategy and delivery within the Treasury with a broad remit.
Recommendation
NISTA is combining strategy and delivery of infrastructure and will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the 10-year infrastructure strategy, supported by a project pipeline, with industry, regulators and departments.44 NISTA told us that merging the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) and National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) into NISTA and making it part of the Treasury means NISTA will be greater than the sum of its parts with strategy, delivery, decision making and the money side all in one place. NISTA told us it has a much broader remit in terms of sectors compared to the NIC and IPA. It has six initial objectives, which include 40 Q 12 41 Q 58 42 Qq 16-17 43 Q 18 44 C&AG Report, para 3 15 overcoming barriers to delivery, enhancing and simplifying assurance, being head of function and profession for project delivery, publishing the pipeline, and spatial planning.45
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.