National Audit Office report on Lessons Learned from Major Programmes

Today's report by the National Audit Office (NAO) draws together insights from its recent work on government's major projects and programmes, examining the root causes of common problems and supporting government to improve its performance.

Government programmes range from transport infrastructure, military capability and nuclear projects, to digital programmes or government building improvements. The Government Major Projects Portfolio, which covers government's largest, most innovative and riskiest programmes includes 125 programmes at a combined whole life cost of £448 billion.

To secure best value from the significant public money it commits to these programmes, it is crucial that government can successfully navigate the challenges of delivering them. Government programmes frequently encounter difficulties, often taking longer and costing more than planned, and do not always deliver their intended aims. The NAO considers that many experience problems across four key areas: scope, planning, managing interdependencies and oversight.

By bringing together findings from recent NAO reports on major infrastructure programmes - including on Crossrail, Carrier Strike and Universal Credit - the NAO has identified where government should focus its attention to improve performance on major programmes.