We also asked Defra how it would ensure that its approach did not result in the waste of taxpayers’ money. Defra explained that the majority of its transformation programme was focused on business process, how people used business processes, and the way that is governed. It assured us that it will not invest in building new digital systems that will have to be rebuilt to fit its new business model. Defra explained that its approach was to invest in common components that can provide the agility needed to support future development and whatever direction Defra decided to go in.40 It recognised, however, the NAO’s findings that there was further work to do to align the different perspective of policy, future business needs, and digital, data and technology to ensure a clear and consistent vision and blueprint for Defra’s transformation. It noted that it needed to undertake its digital work in a way that allowed it to be as flexible as possible in terms of how it worked across the Defra Group in future. It told us that this agility and flexibility would underpin its vision, but was not complete yet, and expected to have completed this within the year.41 38 Q 80; C&AG’s Report, paras 6, 2.25 39 Q 47 40 Qq 80–81 41 Q 82 Tackling Defra’s ageing digital services 15 3 Collaboration and standardisation across government