29th Report - Condition of Government property
Select Committee
Public Accounts Committee
HC 641
11 June 2025
Government response
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twenty ninth report from Session 2024-26 · published 18 Sep 2025
Recommendations & Conclusions
12 results
13
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Departments must prepare Strategic Asset Management Plans for long-term estate maintenance and risk management.
Conclusion
Departments are required to prepare Strategic Asset Management Plans (SAMPs) to document their approach to the maintenance of their estates, as well as the management of risks. SAMPs provide an opportunity for departments to consider the totality of their assets …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response refers to the poor condition of some property and the failure to maintain it affecting key public services, but doesn't address the use of Strategic Asset Management Plans (SAMPs).
HM Treasury
View Details
14
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Departments inconsistently produce comprehensive Strategic Asset Management Plans despite their mandatory importance.
Conclusion
While SAMPs are mandatory and of high strategic importance, not all departments prepare comprehensive plans.23 The OGP is asking departments for a more forward–looking approach in their plans, including consideration of future risks.24 The Cabinet Office explained that almost all …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response addresses a different PAC conclusion regarding property conditions, not the conclusion about SAMPs.
HM Treasury
View Details
16
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Departments are responsible for including Arm's Length Body properties within their Strategic Asset Management Plans.
Conclusion
Responsibilities for property management vary across departments. Some manage the property of their ALBs, which includes acquisitions, disposals, maintenance, improvement works and facilities management. Others delegate management responsibilities to their ALBs.28 We questioned the OGP as to how much knowledge …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response addresses a different PAC conclusion regarding departments' property plans, not the conclusion about property management responsibilities.
HM Treasury
View Details
17
Conclusion
Not Addressed
OGP confirms Strategic Asset Management Plans are improving and cover the whole property portfolio.
Conclusion
We followed up on whether the OGP knows if departments are preparing comprehensive SAMPs that cover ALBs. It assured us that it carried out a review on SAMPs to ensure that they were covering the whole property portfolio. The OGP …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response addresses a different PAC conclusion regarding departments' property plans, not the conclusion about SAMPs.
HM Treasury
View Details
18
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Annual budget cycles drive short-term planning, hindering efficient property asset management
Conclusion
Government organisations operate with annual maintenance budgets. Transferring unspent funds to the following year is often not easy and requires HM Treasury’s permission. Departments respond to annual budgets by planning on a yearly basis. They may split contracts into smaller …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response refers to short-term funding for property maintenance hindering longer-term planning, but doesn't address annual maintenance budgets and the difficulties of transferring unspent funds.
HM Treasury
View Details
19
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Annual budgets challenging for long-term asset management, but Treasury plans multi-year strategies
Conclusion
We challenged the Cabinet Office as to whether this is a good way for government to operate, or whether a longer–term funding settlement would encourage better practice. The Cabinet Office replied that annual budgets are common. It also noted that …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response refers to short-term funding for property maintenance hindering longer-term planning, but doesn't address whether a longer-term funding settlement would encourage better practice.
HM Treasury
View Details
20
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Departments face disincentives and cultural attachment, hindering disposal of old properties
Conclusion
Departments may reduce their maintenance cost and backlog by disposing of existing properties that they no longer need. However, they may decide not to move because the proceeds from the sale of an old building would 31 C&AG’s Report, para …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response refers to short-term funding for property maintenance hindering longer-term planning, but doesn't address the disposal of existing properties that departments no longer need.
HM Treasury
View Details
21
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Shortage of skilled property management professionals persists, despite recruitment and training efforts
Conclusion
There is a shortage of skilled property management professionals across departments. If the perceived value of working in the public sector property profession has declined, or levels of pay are no longer considered attractive, his would be a matter of …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response refers to the skills and capabilities of departments and arm's length bodies to manage their property portfolio effectively but doesn't address the shortage of skilled property management professionals across departments.
HM Treasury
View Details
23
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Government Property Function has lowest proportion of females, requiring active diversity promotion
Conclusion
The OGP told us that the Government Property Function has the lowest proportion of females compared to all other functions. We asked the OGP how it plans to recruit and retain more female property professionals. The OGP told us that …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response refers to the skills and capabilities of departments and arm's length bodies to manage their property portfolio effectively, but doesn't address the proportion of females in the Government Property Function.
HM Treasury
View Details
24
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Civil Service cost reductions impact property professionals, despite specialist pay frameworks
Conclusion
We questioned the Cabinet Office about how the planned cost reductions in the Civil Service will impact the number of property professional staff. It explained that there will not be any broad exemptions, including for property professionals, and that the …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response refers to the skills and capabilities of departments and arm's length bodies to manage their property portfolio effectively and doesn't address planned cost reductions in the Civil Service and their impact on property professional staff.
HM Treasury
View Details
27
Conclusion
Dispersed property management responsibilities across departments and ALBs create varied approaches
Conclusion
Responsibilities for property management vary across departments. Some manage their property directly, and others delegate this to ALBs. The Department for Education is not legally responsible for the maintenance of the school estate, though it does provide funding, with other …
Read more
HM Treasury
View Details
28
Conclusion
ALBs lack awareness of OGP guidance, highlighting need for improved direct communication
Conclusion
We asked the OGP about ALB’s lack of awareness of the OGP’s guidance, to which it agreed it needed to do more, calling the NAO report a wake–up call to engage more with stakeholders.56 After further challenge on whether it …
Read more
HM Treasury
View Details