Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
29th Report - Condition of Government property
Public Accounts Committee
HC 641
Published 11 June 2025
Recommendations
5
Accepted
Set out Cabinet Office plans to improve recruitment, skills, and diversity of government property professionals.
Recommendation
Many departments and arm’s length bodies do not have the skills and capabilities to manage their property portfolio effectively. There is a shortage of skilled property professionals across departments. Departments are finding it difficult to recruit and retain property professionals. …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees and will produce a strategic capability plan for the property profession during financial year 2025-26, which will identify skills shortages and inform work to improve skills and diversity.
HM Treasury
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7
Accepted
No standard definition for government maintenance backlog impedes strategic funding decisions.
Recommendation
There is no standard definition for the calculation of the total maintenance backlog across government. Government organisations include different costs in their individual calculations. The lack of consistent and complete data impacts government’s ability to make well–informed, strategic choices in …
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Government Response Summary
The Cabinet Office has written to the Committee alongside the Treasury Minute response to provide an update on mandating a standard definition of backlog, Insite implementation, and departmental compliance.
HM Treasury
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8
Accepted
Cabinet Office's InSite programme targeting improved data consistency for government property by April 2025.
Recommendation
The Cabinet Office aims to improve data consistency through its new InSite programme, enabling the implementation of the government property data standard across the central government property portfolio.12 It told us that the Insite was going live and would be …
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Government Response Summary
The Cabinet Office has written to the Committee alongside the Treasury Minute response with updates on data standardisation and Insite implementation.
HM Treasury
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15
Accepted
Ministry of Defence reviewing housing estate to address poor conditions and recruitment issues.
Recommendation
We raised concerns about the Ministry of Defence housing estate.26 The Chief Executive of the DIO told us that the Ministry is undertaking a review of the housing estate in order to address poor condition. As part of the review, …
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Government Response Summary
The Ministry of Defence will report to the Committee its plan for redeveloping its housing estate, including long-term plans in the departmental SAMP, disposals, redevelopment and maintenance, target implementation date Autumn 2025.
HM Treasury
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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 …
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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.
HM Treasury
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Conclusions (4)
3
Conclusion
Accepted
Many departments’ property plans lack the information necessary to manage and maintain their portfolios. Departments are required to prepare Strategic Asset Management Plans (SAMPs) to consider the totality of their assets and document their planned approach to managing maintenance and disposals in the longer term, including documenting any property risks …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation, reporting that the Defence Housing Strategy Review (DHSR) is planned for publication later this year. This review will set out a roadmap for renewing Service Family Accommodation, identify surplus land, and inform a comprehensive Strategic Asset Management Plan, directly addressing the Ministry of Defence's housing estate plans.
4
Conclusion
Accepted
Short–term funding for property maintenance is hindering longer–term planning. Departments typically bid for property maintenance funding on a yearly basis. This short–term funding cycle can be inefficient as it hinders departments’ ability to plan longer–term maintenance works. The contracting phase may take a long time and this can mean that …
Government Response Summary
The government states the recommendation is implemented, explaining that The Green Book already mandates that business cases for maintenance funding must include a full range of options, including disposing of existing assets and building new properties, in addition to maintaining existing ones.
6
Conclusion
Accepted
The Cabinet Office’s oversight of government property risks being ineffective due to duplication of roles. The OGP is responsible for the overall strategy for non–office property across government, whereas the Government Property Agency (GPA) is responsible for office related strategy. 7 The OGP sits within the Cabinet Office and the …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and states that a review of the Government Property Agency (GPA) is underway, and the Cabinet Office will write to the Committee with the outcome and how it addresses duplication concerns.
1
Conclusion
Accepted
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from Cabinet Office and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) on the condition of government property.1
Government Response Summary
The government states the 'recommendation' is implemented and describes existing Consolidated Budgeting Guidance and flexibilities for departments to manage and roll over capital budgets.