We therefore asked the Department what it would have done differently if it had to set up a similar loan scheme again. It told us that it had tried to build in lessons learned as it went through the process. For example, it had been optimistic about the number of staff and the capability it required to manage the loans. It had since, therefore, increased significantly the resources in its loan team, with recruitment almost complete by July 2024, and had embedded in this team digital, data and technology expertise, which it previously had not had. It had also clarified the scheme’s governance arrangements in July 2024 and codified its processes. The Department emphasised that it was now in a solid place with regard to 4 C&AG’s Report, paras 14, 15, 17 and 21 5 C&AG’s Report, para 6 6 Qq 7, 9 9 the scheme’s objectives, governance and expertise, and had managed the scheme in a solid and effective way. It was cautiously optimistic about the effectiveness of its management model going forward.7