Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 46
46
Accepted
Department and HS2 Ltd claim continuous learning from major project experiences
Conclusion
Since 2013, the Department and HS2 Ltd have told the Public Accounts Committee that they have been learning lessons from other major programmes to apply to how they are managing the HS2 programme. For example, in 2019, the Department and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority published a ‘Lessons for the sponsorship of major projects’ report that drew from the Department’s experiences, and the Department told the previous committee that it was embedding the 24 lessons across its portfolio. It pointed to lessons such as using realistic ranges for costing and schedules rather than fixed points, taking action to reset the programme rather than continuing and hoping it is brought back under control, and using benchmarking to test and assure cost estimates.78 More recently, in November 2023, HS2 Ltd also told the previous committee that it was strengthening its governance, with a particular focus on controlling costs.79
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's observation, committing to learning and implementing lessons from the HS2 programme reset and transformation, taking into account future review findings, and sharing lessons across government. The department will write to the Committee outlining key lessons and provide further updates in the next Parliamentary report.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2025 The department is committed to learning lessons on the programme and has worked closely with HM Treasury and the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority to identify key lessons from the programme and how those can be applied. Over the course of the HS2 programme reset and transformation of HS2 Ltd, the department aims to implement these lessons. The department will also take into account the findings of the Major Transport Projects Governance and Assurance Review, led by James Stewart, many of which will be implemented as part of the programme reset. Lessons from HS2 are also being shared with the Inter-Ministerial Group for Infrastructure, NISTA and the Office for Value for Money so that they can be taken into account across Government. The department will write to the Committee outlining the key areas of lessons and will provide further updates in the next Parliamentary report.