Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 2
29th Report - Condition of Government property
Published 11 Jun 2025
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Condition of Government properties All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The poor condition of some property and the failure to maintain it is regularly affecting the provision of key public services. Risks relating to property condition have materialised, taking property out of use and impacting functionality of properties such as prison cells, law courts, schools, hospitals, defence estate and museums. Over 4,100 cells closed due to dilapidation and an average of 5,400 clinical service incidents occur in the NHS each year due to property and infrastructure failures. These are localised incidents where the level of disruption results in the organisation temporarily or permanently losing its ability to deliver services, which can include closing departments, suspending services and cancelling appointments. The government estate is potentially at further risk from issues that have yet to emerge, like the emergency repair works that needed to be carried out to address the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) and asbestos across the government estate. RAAC is less durable concrete that can seriously risk the safety of buildings where it is present, whereas asbestos poses a health risk. Departments are required to prepare Strategic Asset Management Plans (SAMPs) to document their planned approach to the maintenance of their estates, as well as the management of risks. At the moment, not all plans include comprehensive risk analysis and mitigation. These plans are expected to consider future risks, and the OGP is encouraging departments to take a longer view of their portfolio in their SAMPs going forward. recommendation a. The Cabinet Office should require departments to include explicit analysis of the risks across their portfolio in their updated SAMPs. b. The Cabinet Office should update the Committee by April 2026 on how it is supporting departments to minimise the risks posed by poor maintenance on their estate. 5
From: Public Accounts Committee, 29th Report - Condition of Government property (HC 641), 11 June 2025
Government response
Latest Treasury Minutes progress report to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twenty-ninth Report of Session 2024-26
The government responded to the whole report on 4 June 2026 (deadline 11 August 2025).
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twenty ninth report from Session 2024-26
Published 18 September 2025.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government states that it agrees with the Committee's recommendations in each area of the report, with target implementation dates ranging from autumn 2025 to the 2027-28 annual reports and accounts.
- On reporting backlogs in annual reports and accounts, the government agrees, but says this is "Subject to the Cabinet Office confirming the standard definition and calculation methods"; HM Treasury will "aim to make changes" to the FReM by November 2026.
- On risk analysis in Strategic Asset Management Plans, the government agrees (target: autumn 2026). The Cabinet Office intends to strengthen the position on strategic or major risks as an initial step, then to consult departments on how far explicit portfolio risk analysis "is practicable".
- The Office of Government Property will write to the Committee by April 2026 on support to departments, but states that central support "will be limited" unless departments support the centre to act on their behalf and pool resources.
- The Cabinet Office will write to the Committee no later than October 2025 on longer-term maintenance planning, and by July 2026 on improvement and assessment of departmental plans.