26 Accepted

The NAO found that government had made other trade-offs during the pandemic, for example paying...

Recommendation
The NAO found that government had made other trade-offs during the pandemic, for example paying higher prices for goods than it would have paid before the pandemic.55 It also had to balance the risks to the economy of enacting lockdowns and other restrictions with the risks to public health of easing those restrictions. When asked how government balanced risks within different areas in making a final decision, witnesses stressed that this involved “setting out all relevant aspects of the impact” and using modelling to try to reach a consensus. The Cabinet Office explained that this modelling was primarily health- related, and that the economic and social aspects needed to be added, but that decisions were made with the relevant Ministers and “properly played out and debated, as they should be, at each step”.56
Government Response Summary
The government accepted the recommendation to implement the Boardman review's risk management profession and training program, stating that the initial steps were implemented via a letter to the Committee, and further developments will progress over the next 12-18 months.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government Accepted
5: PAC conclusion: Government has yet to improve its approach to managing risk or set out which trade-offs it intends to make in future emergencies. 5: PAC recommendation: The Cabinet Office should, by 31 October 2021, write to us detailing how, and when, it will implement the Boardman review’s recommendation to establish a risk management profession and training programme and provide us with a quarterly progress update until this has been fully implemented. 5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 5.2 The Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and the Director General, Public Spending, HM Treasury wrote to the Committee on 23 June 2021. Developments will be progressed by the Government Finance Function, working with Civil Service Human Resources, over the next 12-18 months.
Source
Committee Public Accounts Committee
Inquiry Initial lessons from the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Report Thirteenth Report - Initial lessons from the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic 25 Jul 2021 HC 175
View on Parliament website
Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age 5.0 yrs
Report published 25 Jul 2021