Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Rejected
Home Office delayed updated asylum business case until after legacy backlog clearance date.
Conclusion
The Home Office told us it would include a wider range of costs and benefits in the next iteration of its business case, which it plans to produce early in 2024.36 It had previously told the NAO it would update the business case in Summer 2023.37 We note that the updated business case is now not expected until after the date by which the Home Office expects to have cleared the legacy backlog. When we questioned the Home Office about whether the Programme business case is realistic, the Home Office replied that it still expects there to be a “significant benefit to the taxpayer” from the Programme, and that it would “iterate from the previous version” and “sharpen” its analysis.38 35 Qq 128, 132 36 Q 170 37 C&AG’s Report, para 2.5 38 Qq 172–173 12 The Asylum Transformation Programme 2 Finding accommodation for people who are waiting for a decision Sourcing alternative accommodation to hotels
Government Response Summary
The government rejects the committee's implied recommendation to publish the business case, stating it is not standard practice, but offers a private meeting to discuss it once HM Treasury approval is received by Summer 2024.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
6.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 6.2 The department does not intend to publish the Programme’s Business Case, as it is not standard practice for the department to publish Business Cases. However, the government is instead happy to hold a private meeting with the Committee, once the Programme Business Case has been approved by HM Treasury, to explain how the intentions and impacts of the programme have been modelled and measured. The department anticipates receiving HM Treasury approval by the Summer of 2024.