helping the nation spend wisely rob prideaux director of corporate affairs, uk national audit office...
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HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Rob Prideaux Director of Corporate Affairs, UK National Audit
Office
Meeting of Representatives of Supreme Audit Institutions, Parliamentary Audit Committees and
Ministries of Finance of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia17-18 October 2006
Parliamentary Audit Committees – How to make them work effectively
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Key success factors
An effective constitutional framework of public scrutiny
A close working relationship with the audit office
Productive evidence sessions A focus on policy implementation Remaining non-partisan and non-political Authority and influence
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Key success factors
An effective constitutional framework of public scrutiny
A close working relationship with the audit office
Productive evidence sessions A focus on policy implementation Remaining non-partisan and non-political Authority and influence
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
An effective constitutional framework of public scrutiny
Statute– Independence of C&AG and NAO– Remit and powers of the Committee
Convention– PAC as NAO reporting route to Parliament– Opposition Chairman– Agreed reports
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
The accountability process
Government requests and Parliament grant funds
PAC session and report
Government response
C&AG examines spending and
reports to Parliament
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Key success factors
An effective constitutional framework of public scrutiny
A close working relationship with the audit office
Productive evidence sessions A focus on policy implementation Remaining non-partisan and non-political Authority and influence
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
A close working relationship with the audit office
Benefits for the National Audit Office Focuses us on a clear parliamentary customer Raises awareness of NAO’s work in Parliament
and in Government Provides a support base in Parliament – NAO
funding & reputation Can make ‘principled’ arguments for enhanced
accountability and wider C&AG/ NAO access
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
A close working relationship with the audit office
Benefits to the Committee Enables PAC to cover a high volume &
variety of topics Provides expertise and continuity Gives PAC a solid evidence base Allows the Committee to focus on
performance issues and future action Provides a variety of practical support
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
NAO support to the Public Accounts Committee
Hearings twice weekly on NAO reports 50-60 PAC reports a year based on
NAO report and oral evidence Study programme derived by NAO
– feed PAC interests into programme– consult PAC on programme annually– undertake work at PAC’s request
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Wider NAO support to PAC Chairman and members Advice on topical issues &
correspondence Publication and media support to the
Chairman – press statements, briefings, feature articles
Bi-annual PAC Debate & other speeches or interjections in the House of Commons
Draft speeches to be delivered at other events
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Key success factors
An effective constitutional framework of public scrutiny
A close working relationship with the audit office
Productive evidence sessions A focus on policy implementation Remaining non-partisan and non-political Authority and influence
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Productive evidence sessions
Clear and simple messages NAO support for hearings Good PAC witnesses Preparing authoritative PAC reports
to achieve impact Effective follow-up
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Clear and simple messages
Short reports – 20 page limit– Single page executive summary
Clear headline messages Good use of graphics and illustrations Avoidance of technical language A paragraph providing an overall
conclusion on value for money
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
NAO support for hearings
Produce NAO report close to when PAC session will be
Prepare written brief and detailed lines of questioning linked directly to the NAO report
Orally brief the Chairman and Members before a hearing
Attend the evidence session– C&AG as a witness– Team in support
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Good PAC witnesses
Witnesses are senior and relevant (normally departmental Accounting Officers)
Witnesses are well-briefed– “A witness is bound to answer all questions which
the committee sees fit to put to him or her"
The witness must respect the process The witness should not be arrogant or overly
defensive
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Preparing authoritative PAC reports to achieve impact Audit team prepares a draft report
for the Committee– Based on the evidence session– Focuses on issues of concern to MPs
Teams attend when MPs consider the report
Report makes detailed and “SMART” recommendations
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Effective follow-up
Government responds formally to PAC reports in a ‘Treasury Minute’
NAO provides advice on the Treasury Minute response
NAO follows up as appropriate – follow-up reports– briefing to PAC– monitoring
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Key success factors
An effective constitutional framework of public scrutiny
A close working relationship with the audit office
Productive evidence sessions A focus on policy implementation Remaining non-partisan and non-political Authority and influence
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
A focus on policy implementation
PAC examines how public money is spent Avoids discussing the merits of policy
objectives Enables a pan-government perspective –
what works well in policy implementation?
Leads to impact and substantive improvements in public services
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Key success factors
An effective constitutional framework of public scrutiny
A close working relationship with the audit office
Productive evidence sessions A focus on policy implementation Remaining non-partisan and non-
political Authority and influence
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Remaining non-partisan and non-political
Cross-party membership, led by a member of the opposition
By putting aside political differences, PAC is taken seriously by all
Prepared to be hard-hitting Offers praise where it’s due, especially
for innovation and well-considered risk-taking
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Managing the risk of the Committee becoming “politicised” As political debate becomes more administrative
(eg the efficiency agenda), PAC’s work assumes greater prominence and media attention
This increases the profile of the Committee and it attracts more prominent politicians
BUT Increases the risk that discussion divides along
party lines NAO must manage this and guard against political
points being made through the Committee, such as by promoting balanced media briefing
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Key success factors
An effective constitutional framework of public scrutiny
A close working relationship with the audit office
Productive evidence sessions A focus on policy implementation Remaining non-partisan and non-
political Authority and influence
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Authority and influence
Both NAO and PAC have a reputation for authoritative research, findings and conclusions
Helped by non-partisan nature and focus on policy implementation
Draws on the expertise of 800 professionally-qualified staff
A serious test for senior public servants
HELPING THE NATION SPEND WISELY
Beneficial impact Takes a broad view and makes recommendations
that cut across government Scrutinises the whole delivery chain (private and
voluntary sector partners, contractors, and service providers)
Produces influential overview reports:– Improving the Delivery of Government IT Projects (2000)– Improving Public Services for Older People (2004)– Delivering High Quality Public Services For All (2006)– Achieving Value for Money in the Delivery of High Quality
Public Services (2006) Over 94% of PAC recommendations accepted by
Government £555 million saved by NAO/ PAC work in 2005
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