Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 25
25
Accepted
Overlapping remits between OGP and GPA prompt Cabinet Office review for efficiency
Recommendation
The OGP sets the overall strategic direction for the management of government property overall, split across 15 portfolios.49 The OGP told us that the Government Property Agency (GPA), which is an executive agency of Cabinet Office, sets and delivers the strategy for the office portfolio, representing about 2% of the whole estate.50 A new body, the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, has been established to oversee the infrastructure strategy.51 We asked the Cabinet Office whether 45 Q 78; C&AG’s Report, para 18 46 Qq 74–75 47 Q 79 48 Q 73 49 C&AG’s Report, para 4 50 Qq 2–3 51 C&AG’s Report, para 3.18 16 the OGP and GPA should be merged to avoid overlap. It responded that the Cabinet Office is undertaking a review of its structures, and intends to strip out duplication and inefficiency.52
Government Response Summary
The Cabinet Office will write to the Committee with the outcome of the review of the Government Property Agency (GPA), including how it addresses the concerns of duplication, clarifying that the review is not in relation to oversight of all government property.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
6. PAC conclusion: The Cabinet Office’s oversight of government property risks being ineffective due to duplication of roles. 6. PAC recommendation: The Cabinet Office should write to the Committee, as soon as practicable, to provide an update on its review of the effectiveness of its oversight of government property. The update should include any actions it is taking to strip out duplicate roles, and give specific consideration to the need for two property organizations within the Cabinet Office departmental group. 6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Winter 2025 6.2 As part of a broader cross-government review of arm’s length bodies, a review of the Government Property Agency (GPA) is currently underway, and the Cabinet Office will write to the Committee with the outcome of that and how it addresses the concerns of duplication raised by the Committee. For clarity this review is not in relation to oversight of all government property, as GPA only has responsibility for a percentage of the government's office portfolio. The office estate accounts for circa 1.7% of the government estates and currently GPA is responsible for circa 53% of that office estate.