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Use of consultants and temporary staff
New skills needed in a longer term UK NAO: Used well, consultants and temporary staff can be an important source of specialist skills and capabilities that are uneconomic for departments to maintain in their permanent staff. Since 2009-10, the government has used spending controls to reduce its use of consultants and temporary staff, and by 2014-15 spending had fallen by £1.5 billion. However, spending has increased by between £400 million and £600 million since 2011-12, suggesting that this was more of a short-term reduction than a sustainable strategy. In the longer term, departments will need to develop workforce, skills and capacity plans to reduce their dependence on external skills. They will need to improve their strategic workforce planning to determine where they can deploy existing staff, where they need to recruit, and where they need to engage temporary resources. Without this, departments cannot demonstrate that they are achieving value for money from the use of consultants and temporary staff.
Full description
New skills needed in a longer term UK NAO: Used well, consultants and temporary staff can be an important source of specialist skills and capabilities that are uneconomic for departments to maintain in their permanent staff. Since 2009-10, the government has used spending controls to reduce its use of consultants and temporary staff, and by 2014-15 spending had fallen by £1.5 billion. However, spending has increased by between £400 million and £600 million since 2011-12, suggesting that this was more of a short-term reduction than a sustainable strategy. In the longer term, departments will need to develop workforce, skills and capacity plans to reduce their dependence on external skills. They will need to improve their strategic workforce planning to determine where they can deploy existing staff, where they need to recruit, and where they need to engage temporary resources. Without this, departments cannot demonstrate that they are achieving value for money from the use of consultants and temporary staff.
Full description
National Audit Office
, issued in 2016
Risk cases: 7
Conflicts of interest
First, recognise the conflicts of interest are a real risk the British NAO gathered a significant amount of intelligence on conflicts, particularly in the health and education sectors. These are areas of government where services are increasingly commissioned and delivered by parties at arm’s-length to departments. Conflicts of interest can occur naturally as a product of the way a system is designed and most often arise from operational situations.
Full description
First, recognise the conflicts of interest are a real risk the British NAO gathered a significant amount of intelligence on conflicts, particularly in the health and education sectors. These are areas of government where services are increasingly commissioned and delivered by parties at arm’s-length to departments. Conflicts of interest can occur naturally as a product of the way a system is designed and most often arise from operational situations.
Full description
National Audit Office
, issued in 2015
Risk cases: 8
The rural broadband programme
Intervention in a noncompetitive market The British NAO's audit report of 2013 concerns ambitious yet delayed UK government programme, which objective was to have the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015. The report focuses on one of the programme's main problems: rural areas, where commercial providers had no plans to invest, because of lower returns.
Full description
Intervention in a noncompetitive market The British NAO's audit report of 2013 concerns ambitious yet delayed UK government programme, which objective was to have the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015. The report focuses on one of the programme's main problems: rural areas, where commercial providers had no plans to invest, because of lower returns.
Full description
National Audit Office
, issued in 2013
Risk cases: 7
Good Practice in Annual Reports 2016-17
Reporting: a real skill The Building Public Trust Awards, sponsored by PwC, have been running for 15 years and the British NAO co-sponsors the public sector award. The Good Practices in annual reports 2016-2017 present eye-opening examples of how to make complex reports easily understandable and how to clearly outline goals and achievement of them.
Full description
Reporting: a real skill The Building Public Trust Awards, sponsored by PwC, have been running for 15 years and the British NAO co-sponsors the public sector award. The Good Practices in annual reports 2016-2017 present eye-opening examples of how to make complex reports easily understandable and how to clearly outline goals and achievement of them.
Full description
National Audit Office
, issued in 2018
Risk cases: 4
WannaCry Cyber Attack and the NHS
Why the British NHS became a victim of WannaCry The NAO's investigation points at the problem of insufficient powers of the cybersecurity coordinator across the health organisation. As a result no remedial actions were taken, and the cyber attack succeeded thanks to neglected precautions.
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Why the British NHS became a victim of WannaCry The NAO's investigation points at the problem of insufficient powers of the cybersecurity coordinator across the health organisation. As a result no remedial actions were taken, and the cyber attack succeeded thanks to neglected precautions.
Full description
National Audit Office
, issued in 2017
Risk cases: 3
The effectiveness of Official Development Assistance expenditure
Need of more coordination and transparency The audit of the UK's Official Development Assistance revealed among others: fragmented responsibilities and difficulties in review and reporting. These led to difficulties in assessment of effectiveness of the assistance and of progress in implementing the UK Aid Strategy.
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Need of more coordination and transparency The audit of the UK's Official Development Assistance revealed among others: fragmented responsibilities and difficulties in review and reporting. These led to difficulties in assessment of effectiveness of the assistance and of progress in implementing the UK Aid Strategy.
Full description
National Audit Office
, issued in 2019
Risk cases: 4
Central government staff costs
Results of staff reductions The British NAO found that departments had significantly reduced numbers of their civil servants and of course salary costs at the same time. But they reduced staff numbers mainly by minimising recruitment, and the age profile of the civil service has changed. NAO pays a lot attention to what effect this has had on the future pipeline of talent and skills. It reminds also that the departments need long-term operating models to work efficiently with the staff reduced.
Full description
Results of staff reductions The British NAO found that departments had significantly reduced numbers of their civil servants and of course salary costs at the same time. But they reduced staff numbers mainly by minimising recruitment, and the age profile of the civil service has changed. NAO pays a lot attention to what effect this has had on the future pipeline of talent and skills. It reminds also that the departments need long-term operating models to work efficiently with the staff reduced.
Full description
National Audit Office
, issued in 2015
Risk cases: 5
Improving broadband
Lessons of Superfast Programme UK NAO's report on goverments extensive support to the superfast internet, with special focus on the Future Programme perspectives. Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic considered.
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Lessons of Superfast Programme UK NAO's report on goverments extensive support to the superfast internet, with special focus on the Future Programme perspectives. Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic considered.
Full description
National Audit Office
, issued in 2020
Risk cases: 7
Digital transformation in government
Support exemplars, provide consistent guidance... and do not lose focus As the NAO states: Government faces significant challenges in providing public services. While many government services are now available online, public administration is struggling to manage more complicated programmes and to improve the complex systems and processes that support public services.
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Support exemplars, provide consistent guidance... and do not lose focus As the NAO states: Government faces significant challenges in providing public services. While many government services are now available online, public administration is struggling to manage more complicated programmes and to improve the complex systems and processes that support public services.
Full description
National Audit Office
, issued in 2017
Risk cases: 4
Online fraud
Uneven response to online fraud This type of fraud can affect everyone, but yet it is not a strategic priority for local police forces and the response from industry is uneven. UK NAO underlines: For too long, as a low-value but high-volume crime, online fraud has been overlooked by government, law enforcement and industry. It is a crime that can affect everyone. Fraud is now the most commonly experienced crime in England and Wales, is growing rapidly and demands an urgent response. Yet fraud is not a strategic priority for local police forces, and the response from industry is uneven.
Full description
Uneven response to online fraud This type of fraud can affect everyone, but yet it is not a strategic priority for local police forces and the response from industry is uneven. UK NAO underlines: For too long, as a low-value but high-volume crime, online fraud has been overlooked by government, law enforcement and industry. It is a crime that can affect everyone. Fraud is now the most commonly experienced crime in England and Wales, is growing rapidly and demands an urgent response. Yet fraud is not a strategic priority for local police forces, and the response from industry is uneven.
Full description
National Audit Office
, issued in 2017
Risk cases: 6