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Public Accounts Committee

The latest news and comment from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee

Articles
'A rattling good read': Baroness Deech reviews 'Battleaxe'
Books & culture
By Baroness Deech
"A rattling good read": Baroness Deech reviews 'Battleaxe'
Baroness Hodge pulls no punches in this enthralling and combative memoir
The Bank of England shows that not all public sector projects are doomed to fail
Economy
By Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP
The Bank of England shows that not all public sector projects are doomed to fail
Anyone following the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) would be forgiven for thinking that, if PAC is scrutinising something, it has gone wrong or is in danger of doing so.
Cross-Party MPs Say NHS Leaders Need To 'Step Up'
Health
Cross-Party MPs Say NHS Leaders Need To 'Step Up'
MPs have slammed the NHS top leadership and accused senior officials of being “defensive” in their response to a cross-party committee report.
We will give taxpayers an aerial view of how their cash is being spent
Parliament
By Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP
We will give taxpayers an aerial view of how their cash is being spent
Over the past few weeks, the reconstituted Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been gearing up to scrutinise policy delivery across government. Having served as deputy chair of the PAC for seven years under Meg Hillier’s excellent chairmanship, the privilege of my election as committee chair has felt rather like a homecoming.
'Short-Term' Spending Leaves Next Government Facing 'Critical' Challenges
Parliament
"Short-Term" Spending Leaves Next Government Facing "Critical" Challenges
A new report from the influential Public Accounts Committee of cross-party MPs has criticised the government for "short-termism" in policy making – highlighting a number areas in public spending the next government will have to grapple with.
MPs' Committee Doubts Government Plan To Manage 'Phenomenal' National Debt
Economy
MPs' Committee Doubts Government Plan To Manage "Phenomenal" National Debt
A new report by the influential Public Accounts Committee has questioned whether ministers have clear measures in place to assess the value for money of the “phenomenal” £2.6 trillion of Government borrowing.
New Online Safety Laws Could Take 'Years' To Show True Benefits
Technology
New Online Safety Laws Could Take "Years" To Show True Benefits
The government, Labour, and an influential committee of MPs have warned that it could take years for the public to feel the benefit of the Online Safety Act, and said it will be “critical” for the new regulations to continue to be reviewed.
Public Spending Watchdog To Investigate Delays To Multimillion-Pound Pensions Project
Economy
Public Spending Watchdog To Investigate Delays To Multimillion-Pound Pensions Project
Exclusive: The National Audit Office has agreed to investigate delays into the government’s long-awaited Pensions Dashboard project, which is now expected to be rolled out seven years late after costing the taxpayer millions of pounds.
Labour MP Demands Investigation Into Multimillion-Pound Pensions Project Running 7 Years Late
Economy
Labour MP Demands Investigation Into Multimillion-Pound Pensions Project Running 7 Years Late
A Labour MP has asked the National Audit Office to investigate the delays to the government’s long-awaited Pensions Dashboard project, which has cost the taxpayer millions of pounds.
Partner content
Home affairs
By Bar Council
Culture shift needed to deliver court reform programme – Bar Council
The Public Accounts Committee has published its report into the Court Reform Programme expressing serious concerns that HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has underestimated the scale and complexity of reforms leading to stress amongst staff.
Government Failed To Achieve Legacy Aims For 2012 London Olympics
Culture
Government Failed To Achieve Legacy Aims For 2012 London Olympics
The government has failed to meet its legacy aims on sports participation after the 2012 London Olympic Games, according to a report by an influential select committee.
Failure To Resolve PPE Supplier Disputes May Cost Taxpayers £2.7bn, Warn MPs
Health
Failure To Resolve PPE Supplier Disputes May Cost Taxpayers £2.7bn, Warn MPs
A cross-party committee of MPs has warned a failure to resolve disputes with suppliers of poor-quality PPE could cost the taxpayer £2.7bn.
Clare Moriarty: Action is needed now to avoid a winter of discontent for energy customers
Economy
By Dame Clare Moriarty
Clare Moriarty: Action is needed now to avoid a winter of discontent for energy customers
More than half a year since the energy market went into freefall, the bill for supplier failures is still mounting.
Governments must do better at learning lessons from past failures
Parliament
By Gareth Davies
Governments must do better at learning lessons from past failures
Government is missing an opportunity to improve the way it plans and implements policy, and this stems from the fact that it could be doing more to evaluate its work.
Health and Safety Executive Investigating Asbestos Release in Parliament
Parliament
By Georgina Bailey
Health and Safety Executive Investigating Asbestos Release in Parliament
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is now investigating the asbestos release in Parliament which it has emerged could have affected as many as 117 members of staff.
Pensioners have been short-changed by more than £1bn. DWP must provide urgent redress to those affected
Economy
By Meg Hillier MP
Pensioners have been short-changed by more than £1bn. DWP must provide urgent redress to those affected
Thousands of pensioners, mainly women whose pension is affected by or calculated on the basis of their husbands’ pensions, have been losing out on state pension benefits, leaving some owed considerable sums of money.
As we look back on the PAC’s remarkable history, the need for transparency and accountability has never been greater
Economy
By Meg Hillier MP
As we look back on the PAC’s remarkable history, the need for transparency and accountability has never been greater
This year marks the 160th anniversary since William Gladstone established the Public Accounts Committee, more than a century before the present system of committees was established in 1979. The remit of the committee in 1861 was to examine the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of government spending of taxpayers’ money. While its role has not changed, it is uncertain whether Gladstone could have imagined the scale of the role today.
Lessons of the Covid procurement process
Coronavirus
By Meg Hillier MP
Lessons of the Covid procurement process
At the outset of the Covid pandemic, government was granted extraordinary powers by parliament and made extensive use of emergency procurement regulations to award contracts for goods and services without tender. But the need to act fast did not give government licence to act fast and loose.
Windrush victims are being failed again by flawed compensation scheme
Home affairs
By Meg Hillier MP
Windrush victims are being failed again by flawed compensation scheme
Not only was the Windrush compensation scheme complex and difficult for claimants but the Home Office did not provide the necessary resources to manage it.
The care sector urgently needs reform after suffering long term under-funding and neglect
Health
By Shaun Bailey MP
The care sector urgently needs reform after suffering long term under-funding and neglect
Despite years of promises, the Department of Health and Social Care still doesn’t have a plan in place to reform the adult social care sector.
Shining a light on public spending is more important than ever
Economy
By Meg Hillier MP
Shining a light on public spending is more important than ever
The long recovery from Covid-19 will require more strategic decisions, and it remains to be seen if Whitehall is up to the challenge.
David Cameron Texted Treasury’s Most Senior Civil Servant To Lobby For Greensill
Political parties
David Cameron Texted Treasury’s Most Senior Civil Servant To Lobby For Greensill
The most senior civil servant in the Treasury has admitted that David Cameron personally lobbied him over Greensill Capital.
Here Are All the Inquiries David Cameron Will Have To Answer To Over Greensill Lobbying Scandal
Political parties
Here Are All the Inquiries David Cameron Will Have To Answer To Over Greensill Lobbying Scandal
David Cameron has indicated he will be happy to face MPs to explain his actions surrounding Greensill Capital, but the former Prime Minister now faces multiple inquiries as the scandal widens.
No Evidence “Unimaginable” £37bn Cost Of NHS Test & Trace Has Had Effect On Tackling Pandemic, Say MPs
Coronavirus
No Evidence “Unimaginable” £37bn Cost Of NHS Test & Trace Has Had Effect On Tackling Pandemic, Say MPs
An influential Parliamentary committee has said there is no evidence the “unimaginable” cost of NHS Test & Trace has made any progress in dealing with the pandemic.