Recommendation RHI-12: Invest NI and SIB Collaboration
From The Report of the Independent Public Inquiry into the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme, published 13 March 2020.
Recommendation
The leaders of the Northern Ireland Civil Service should work with Invest Northern Ireland and the Strategic Investment Board to consider how both organisations can better contribute their expertise to the work of mainstream Departments, particularly in relation to good practice on implementation of programmes and project management. This could for example include providing advice at the early stages of policy development; 'tyrekicking' and challenge; and joint training and job exchange schemes.
In brief (written by this site)
In March 2024, the Department of Finance reported that work was in progress, stating that Commercial Case Peer Reviews had been established using expertise from bodies including the Strategic Investment Board and that guidance instructed departments to engage the board early for specialist resources (Department of Finance, Mar 2024). In October 2024, the Northern Ireland Audit Office found that the recommendation had been implemented (Northern Ireland Audit Office, Oct 2024).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
These recommendations can be accepted in full.
They have been addressed in work to date through:
• strengthening of policy and guidance relating to project delivery;
• work to establish the new NICS Project Delivery Profession;
• accredited practitioner-level training in the Management of Risk methodology, available via NICSHR Learning & Development;
• amendment to the Treasury Orange Book (Risk Management);
• the Review of Business Case and Expenditure Approval processes;
• agreement by the NICS Board on the principles and procedures for use of SIB.
Further work is required to:
• Establish the NICS Project Delivery Profession
• Ensure that all Departments have in place a P3O Office, as set out in DAO 02/20
• Bring forward proposals for the implementation of Portfolio Management
• Implement the IPA’s ‘Get to Green’ refresh of GatewayTM and wider Assurance Reviews
• reform behaviours and culture to ensure a greater focus on risk management;
• improve the way in which departments work with Invest NI and SIB, ensuring that that partnership dovetails with GatewayTM and existing guidance on the obligations of the SRO;
• improve the reporting of risks to Ministers;
• develop cross-departmental collaboration and coordination through the PfG outcomes-based approach and the promotion of collaborative behaviours;
• ensure senior ownership of governance arrangements with third parties.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: These are the Northern Ireland Executive's words from Annex A, "Summary of Recommendations and Response", published on this page with the Executive Response to the RHI Inquiry Report Recommendations and Action Plan on 7 October 2021, the day the Executive agreed it. The Department of Finance publishes the response, but it is the Executive's, so the site records it under the Executive. The annex is a PDF that the publisher asks automated readers not to fetch, so the site cites the page that links it.
Site note: Annex A gives this passage once, for the recommendations under its heading "PROFESSIONAL SKILLS: PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND RISK MANAGEMENT": recommendations 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. It is the Executive's response to the group, not to this recommendation alone.
Delivery
Department of Finance says in progress (14 March 2024)
The use of Commercial Case Peer Reviews has been established.
A list of Commercial Case Peer Reviewers has been established with expertise from the following areas; Construction, Infrastructure, Project Delivery, Commercial and Procurement.
Over the last 6 months Commercial Case Peer Reviews have been carried out on two Major Projects.
Expertise for these Peer Reviews was drawn from CPD, Cabinet Office, DfI, DfC and SIB.
Reviewers were selected from participants who had completed the Cabinet Office Assessment and Development Centre and had appropriate project delivery experience.
DAO (02/20) makes clear that if external professional or other specialist external resources are required, the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) should be engaged at an early stage of the project or programme to identify the availability of appropriate resources.
From: Implementation of the Recommendations of the RHI Inquiry (publication page for three documents)
Site note: This page publishes three monitoring tables: the Department of Finance's of 1 September 2023 and 14 March 2024, and the Executive's table of 19 February 2025 of commitments on the remaining recommendations. None of the three lists every recommendation. The row carries the table's own cell for this recommendation: the "Updates" column, or where that is empty in 2023 the "Status of further work" column, and in 2025 the "Commitment" column. The tables are PDFs that the publisher asks automated readers not to fetch, so the site cites the page that links them.
Earlier statement on delivery (1)
Department of Finance (1 September 2023)
The use of Commercial Case Peer Reviews has been established.
A list of Commercial Case Peer Reviewers has been established with expertise from the following areas; Construction, Infrastructure, Project Delivery, Commercial and Procurement.
Over the last 6 months Commercial Case Peer Reviews have been carried out on two Major Projects.
Expertise for these Peer Reviews was drawn from CPD, Cabinet Office, DfI, DfC and SIB.
Reviewers were selected from participants who had completed the Cabinet Office Assessment and Development Centre and had appropriate project delivery experience.
DAO (02/20) makes clear that if external professional or other specialist external resources are required, the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) should be engaged at an early stage of the project or programme to identify the availability of appropriate resources.
From: Implementation of the Recommendations of the RHI Inquiry (publication page for three documents)
Site note: This page publishes three monitoring tables: the Department of Finance's of 1 September 2023 and 14 March 2024, and the Executive's table of 19 February 2025 of commitments on the remaining recommendations. None of the three lists every recommendation. The row carries the table's own cell for this recommendation: the "Updates" column, or where that is empty in 2023 the "Status of further work" column, and in 2025 the "Commitment" column. The tables are PDFs that the publisher asks automated readers not to fetch, so the site cites the page that links them.
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
NI Audit Office (15 October 2024)
Implemented.
Site note: This is the Northern Ireland Audit Office's assessment, from Appendix 4 of its second report on the Inquiry's recommendations (15 October 2024), the column "2024 NIAO Assessment". The Audit Office monitors implementation at the Inquiry's request; its assessment is shown beside the Executive's own account and does not set the recommendation's status.
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Northern Ireland Executive
Response - Department of Finance
Delivery statement - NI Audit Office
Finding