Annual Reports

CO:  Using behavioural insights could save taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds over the course of the Parliament and thousands of lives a year, according to an annual report published last week.  The Government’s Behavioural Insights Team annual report outlines a series of new approaches it has tested over the past year to increase people’s health, encourage them to make their houses more energy efficient or boost tax repayment rates.

Press release & links

ScotGov:  Scotland 's public sector efficiency targets have been exceeded for the third year in a row.  New figures show that the public sector delivered £2,276m of efficiency savings in 2010-11, exceeding the target of £1,603m by £673m.  Efficiency savings are reinvested in improving public services.

Press release & links

WAO:  The Auditor General for ’ annual report and accounts for 2010-11, published recently, set out the substantial programme of financial & performance audit work the Wales Audit Office has delivered.

Press release & links

PC&PE:  The Committee of Public Accounts has published a report which examines the first year of implementation of the MPs' expenses scheme, and proposals for improving service levels in the future.  The Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP, Chair of the CPA, has said:  "IPSA did a good job in introducing the new system for paying MPs' expenses. ……. evidence that public confidence is starting to improve.  However, the current scheme is expensive to run and does not yet demonstrate value for money

It is striking that 38% of claims are for less money than the average cost of administering them.  IPSA needs to get better at distinguishing between high- value & high-risk claims, which require rigorous checks, and those where the risk of error is low”. 
Press release & links

AC:  The NHS needs to improve the quality of its data if the government is to expand its payment by results (PbR) system, the Audit Commission said recently.  In its annual report looking at the PbR data assurance programme, the Commission says the data used to inform the current PbR tariff in the last financial year was generally good. 

However, the data for 'non-tariff' areas such as community services and chemotherapy was often of poor quality, and it is these areas that will be brought under the PbR umbrella under the government's plans. This data is also currently used to inform local contracts. 

Press release & links

Spotlight on women at Serco – Anita’s story