Major government programmes have an estimated whole-life cost of at least £518 billion. They include highly complex major infrastructure projects and high-risk service transformation programmes.
Historically the track record in delivery is poor. Delivering these projects is likely to become even more difficult due to: austerity; skills shortages; the financing required; and navigating dynamic operating environments characterised by constant technological change.
This inquiry will look to assess the scale of challenge in project delivery; whether performance can be said to be improving; and what is being done in the centre and in departments to improve performance. Much of the work will focus on the role of the Major Projects Authority and the information provided in the MPA’s Annual Report.