The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) has launched an inquiry examining the format and effectiveness of the government’s monthly management accounts, saying it is ‘not clear that they are of any use to select committees, or to the public’, despite the considerable amounts of money spent on producing and auditing them
The inquiry will look at the format and utility of monthly management accounts used by ministers, permanent secretaries and departmental boards, and the departmental accounts published for Parliament and the public. The committee says there has been no scrutiny of their usefulness since 2009.
PACAC clams the published accounts ‘are used by ministers more to promote the government's own achievements, than to provide useful tables of figures and information.
Numerous reviews over the last decade have identified poor management information and management accounts as a factor in poor decision making within departments.’
The inquiry will focus on two key areas, one of which is how monthly management accounts can be improved as a tool for managing government departments and agencies.
The second is how departmental accounts, other accounts and retrospective financial information given to Parliament can be improved to enable both MPs and the public to hold the executive to account.
In addition, PACAC plans to consider possible improvements, including considering who should have control over the format of departmental accounts and Whole of Government Accounts; what independent body should advise on the format of Departmental accounts in the future; and way to judge the success of departmental accounts as disclosures of information to the public.
PACAC is seeking views on the issues as part of its inquiry and has set up a web portal for comments.
The closing date for responses is 29 April 2016.
Further information about the PACAC inquiry into government accounts is available here
