Whole of Government Accounts

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 26 Apr 2022 Closed: 14 Dec 2022 Parliament page
The Whole of Government Accounts (WGA) is a unique document which provides the most complete and accurate picture available of UK public sector finances. A set of financial statements prepared by HM Treasury in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, it consolidates information on the financial performance of over 9,000 … Read more
21 Recommendations
6 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
4 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 8 events
12 Jan
2023
Correspondence
14 Dec
2022
Report published
8 Nov
2022
Correspondence
17 Oct
2022
Correspondence
14 Oct
2022
Report published
8 Jun
2022
Oral evidence
8 Jun
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
9 Mar
2022
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
8 Jun 2022
View on parliament.uk
Whole of Government Accounts
Cat Little · Cabinet Office Sir Tom Scholar · HM Treasury Vicky Rock · HM Treasury
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Twentieth Report - Whole of Government Accounts 2019–20 HC 31 14 Oct 2022 27 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
6 Recommendation Rejected
Twentieth Report - Whole of Govern…
Government has not yet set out the consequences of announced Civil Service staffing reductions.
Government has not yet set out the consequences of announced Civil Service staffing reductions. In May 2022, the government announced that it intends to cut 91,000 jobs from the civil service over the next three years. The 2021 Spending Review … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation to prepare a costed plan based on proposed staffing reductions across government, stating that they will not be publishing a full plan to deliver the previously proposed Civil Service staffing reductions, and will instead focus on departmental efficiency and savings reviews.
HM Treasury
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23 Recommendation Rejected
Twentieth Report - Whole of Govern…
In May 2022, the government announced its intention to cut 91,000 jobs from the civil...
In May 2022, the government announced its intention to cut 91,000 jobs from the civil service over the next three years, with the aim of returning to 2016 staffing levels.70 The 2021 Spending Review had already confirmed the need for … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the recommendation to prepare a clearly articulated and costed plan based on proposed staffing reductions across government, because they have moved away from top-down headcount reduction targets.
HM Treasury
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24 Recommendation Rejected
Twentieth Report - Whole of Govern…
Staff cuts will inevitably involve a quantity of associated costs, including redundancy costs, that the...
Staff cuts will inevitably involve a quantity of associated costs, including redundancy costs, that the government will have to pay out. We questioned the Treasury as to what the total cost of these payments was likely to be, and although … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the recommendation to prepare a clearly articulated and costed plan based on proposed staffing reductions across government, because departments should look for the most effective ways to secure value and maximise efficiency within budgets.
HM Treasury
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25 Conclusion Rejected
Twentieth Report - Whole of Govern…
This scale of these proposed cuts has the potential to bring about significant consequences for...
This scale of these proposed cuts has the potential to bring about significant consequences for service delivery, both in regard to the quality and efficiency of delivery and the range of services it will be possible to provide. At the … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the committee's recommendation. The Prime Minister has confirmed that, rather than a top-down headcount reduction target, departments should look for the most effective ways to secure value and maximise efficiency within budgets. They will not be publishing a full plan to deliver the previously proposed Civil Service staffing reductions.
HM Treasury
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26 Conclusion Rejected
Twentieth Report - Whole of Govern…
The Treasury told us that at this stage the challenge of how best to achieve...
The Treasury told us that at this stage the challenge of how best to achieve these reductions is in the hands of individual departments. It explained that each department is itself best placed to understand the resourcing requirements needed to … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the premise, stating the Prime Minister has confirmed that departments should look for the most effective ways to secure value and maximise efficiency within budgets, rather than top-down headcount reduction targets.
HM Treasury
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27 Conclusion Rejected
Twentieth Report - Whole of Govern…
We discussed with the Treasury that one way in which headcount reductions might be accomplished...
We discussed with the Treasury that one way in which headcount reductions might be accomplished whilst at the same time maintaining the scope and standard of service delivery, is by way of increased digitisation. By digitalising services, the required level … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the committee's recommendation. The Prime Minister has confirmed that, rather than a top-down headcount reduction target, departments should look for the most effective ways to secure value and maximise efficiency within budgets. They will not be publishing a full plan to deliver the previously proposed Civil Service staffing reductions.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 27 of 21 classified
Accepted 16
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 4
Rejected 6
Total 21 recs + 6 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
12 Jan 2023 Correspondence from Catherine Little, Second Permanent Secretary Head of Government Finance Function, HM Treasury, re Whole of Government Accounts (WGA), dated 20 December 2022
Parliament page
8 Nov 2022 Correspondence from Dame Meg Hillier, Chair, Committee on Public Accounts to Catherine Little Second Permanent Secretary HM Treasury, re Whole of Government Accounts 2020-21, dated 3 November 2022
Parliament page
17 Oct 2022 Correspondence from Catherine Little, Director General, Public Spending HM Treasury, re Whole of Government Accounts (WGA), dated 4 October 2022
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9 Mar 2022 Correspondence from Dame Meg Hillier, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, to Catherine Little, Director General, HM Treasury, re Whole Government Accounts 2019-20 and 2020-21, dated 3 March 2022
Parliament page