It is not clear how the Department holds to account third parties that deliver multi-billion-pound programmes on its behalf. The Department stated that responsibility lies with the commercial bank lenders and local authorities and that it is the Department’s role to enable, support and challenge them. HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money guidelines are clear that accounting officers are personally responsible for the resources of their own organisation, even when working with other organisations. This is a point also made to us by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. The Committee is clear that accountability for the Department’s resources lies with the Accounting Officer, and we are concerned that a laissez faire approach to Departmental oversight may lead to taxpayers money not being properly protected. Recommendation 5: The Department should set out how it retains robust oversight and challenge of third parties delivering major policies and holds these bodies to account for achieving value for money and protecting taxpayer interests.