Government Projects Cost 2023-06-22
2023-06-22
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The MP is concerned about the high costs of government projects and their impact on public finances.
What steps his Department is taking to reduce the cost to the public purse of Government projects?
The Infrastructure and Projects Authority's standards, tools and training for Government projects and its expert advice and cost estimation guidance helps to ensure that Government projects are set up for success. I am pleased to announce that the IPA is launching its benchmarking data service later this year, which will significantly improve the pricing of Government projects through access to a detailed dataset of realised unit costs, delivering much more confidence to cost estimation.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is concerned that government projects blow their budgets because the private sector does not take responsibility and taxpayers bail them out. He uses HS2 as an example.
In reducing costs, the challenge for my right hon. Friend is the way that Government projects are set up in the first place. They blow their budgets because the people set up to deliver them always know that the taxpayer will bail them out. Will he look at introducing a new private sector viability test for Government projects, where a lack of private sector interest would be the warning light that the project is wrong? For example, the total lack of interest from any private sector investor should have been the flashing red beacon for the financial catastrophe that is High Speed 2?
We take infrastructure challenges seriously. It is incredibly important to bear down on inflation for a whole range of reasons, including the impact on our capital projects. Clearly, inflation has had a dramatic impact over the last 18 months. The IPA is a force for challenge in Government projects. It supports HS2 delivery through advice and assurance, particularly through the annual assurance updates, which help to provide external challenge to the Department when it makes its regular reports to Parliament, which it will do this month.
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Assessment & feedback
Introducing a new private sector viability test for Government projects
We Take Infrastructure Challenges Seriously
The Ipa Is A Force For Challenge In Government Projects
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
No one knows the cost to the public purse of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and the Illegal Migration Bill because the government refuses to publish their economic impact assessment.
Of course, no one knows what the cost to the public purse of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and the Illegal Migration Bill will be, because the Government are refusing to publish their economic impact assessment. Will the Minister speak to his colleagues in the Home Office to get that economic impact assessment published, not least because if it will not do that, it will face freedom of information requests and complaints to the Information Commissioner's Office, which themselves are going to cost the taxpayer more money?
The hon. Gentleman has made his point in his normal way and I am certain it will be picked up by my colleagues in the Home Office.
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Assessment & feedback
Speaking to colleagues in the Home Office about publishing an economic impact assessment for immigration bills
The Hon. Gentleman Has Made His Point In His Normal Way
Response accuracy