Committees

Inquiry into Government accounts

Inquiry

Government Response

The report concerns the published Departmental Annual Reports and Accounts (designed for Parliament and the public) and the Management Accounts (designed for the use of Ministers and officials in managing their Departments).

In most cases Annual Reports and Accounts appear to be currently failing in their purpose of explaining to the public and Parliament the effectiveness of Government spending.

In 2015–16, the Treasury instructed Departments to adopt a new framework for their Annual Reports and Accounts: whilst we welcome this framework, we do not believe it goes far enough. It is disappointing that the Treasury have not monitored any changes in the way that accounts have been used since their reforms of 2015–16.

The Treasury should monitor the use of accounts to identify good practice.

The Committee identifies that the published Annual Report and Accounts should provide information about value for money and commitments made to Parliament in a credible way.

Reports, special reports and government responses

View all reports and responses
14th Report - Accounting for democracy: making sure Parliament, the people and ministers know how and why public money is spent
Inquiry Inquiry into Government accounts
Open PDF
Opens in new window
Open HTML
Opens in new window
HC 95
Report

Oral evidence transcripts

View all oral evidence transcripts
6 December 2016
Inquiry Inquiry into Government accounts
Witnesses Craig Mackinlay MP, and John Pugh MP; Rt Hon David Gauke MP, Chief Secretrary to the Treasury, and Julian Kelly, Director General, Public Spending and Finance, HM Treasury
Open PDF
284KB
Open HTML
271KB
Oral Evidence
6 September 2016
Inquiry Inquiry into Government accounts
Witnesses Professor Malcolm Prowle, University of Gloucestershire, and Professor Sheila Ellwood, University of Bristol; Will Moy, Director, Full Fact
Open PDF
217KB
Open HTML
224KB
Oral Evidence
24 May 2016
Inquiry Inquiry into Government accounts
Witnesses Sir Ian Cheshire, Government Lead Non-Executive and Non-Executive Board Member, and Amy Stirling, Non-Executive Board Member and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, Cabinet Office; Sir Amyas Morse, Comptroller and Auditor General, and Kate Mathers, Director of Financial Audit Practice and Quality, National Audit Office (at 10.30am).
Open PDF
377KB
Open HTML
351KB
Oral Evidence

Written evidence

View all written evidence
National Audit Office (IGA0028)
Open PDF
170KB
Open HTML
117KB
UK Statistics Agency (IGA0027)
Open PDF
129KB
Open HTML
27KB
Ed Poole (IGA0026)
Open PDF
221KB
Open HTML
36KB

Other publications

Correspondence
Committees exchange letters with government departments and others, often to request information or follow up on recommendations.
1 published

Contact us

  • Email: pacac@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 3268 (general enquiries) | 07523 800011 (media enquiries)
  • Address: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA