Commenting on the Commons public accounts committee’s report on accountability for public money, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:
“Central government is undergoing dramatic changes but the top civil servant in each central government department is still ultimately accountable for the use of money granted by Parliament. In the case of major projects, managerial responsibility is often delegated to a senior civil servant in charge of the project known as a Senior Responsible Owner (SRO).
“However, the chain of accountability is frequently distorted by the high turnover of SROs and the conspicuous shortage of project management skills within the ranks of the Civil Service. For the government to allow SROs to move on so frequently, particularly before projects have been completed – or have at least reached key milestones – amounts to ‘blame laundering’ where true responsibility for project failures is obscured. This makes it more difficult for Parliament to hold departments to account properly.
“Senior Responsible Owners should be appointed to major projects with the expectation that they usually stay put from start to finish. Parliament will then be able to hold the right people to account for their actions”.
5 April 2011
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PAC REPORT: