annual_report_08

XxxxxxxxxxxAnnualReportAnnualReport2008AnnualReportXxxxxxxxxxxTheNationalAuditOfficescrutinisespublicspendingonbehalfofParliament.TheComptrollerandAuditorGeneral,TimBurr,isanOfficeroftheHouseofCommons.HeistheheadoftheNationalAuditOfficewhichemployssome850staff.HeandtheNationalAuditOfficearetotallyindependentofGovernment.HecertifiestheaccountsofallGovernmentdepartmentsandawiderangeofotherpublicsectorbodies;andhehasstatutoryauthoritytoreporttoParliamentontheeconomy,efficiencyandeffectivenesswithwhichdepartmentsandotherbodieshaveusedtheirresources.Ourworkleadstosavingsandotherefficiencygainsworthmanymillionsofpounds;atleast£9forevery£1spentrunningtheOffice.Ourvisionistohelpthenationspendwisely.Wepromotethehigheststandardsinfinancialmanagementandreporting,theproperconductofpublicbusinessandbeneficialchangeintheprovisionofpublicservicesAnnualReport2008Keyresultsandachievements4TheComptrollerandAuditorGeneral’soverview6Ourrole9Howwemanageourbusiness12Whatwehaveachieved14Ourpeopleandresources22Corporateresponsibility26Majorreports32Reportonourhealthandsafetypolicyandperformance36Statementonmaintainingthequalityandindependenceofourauditwork38Resourceaccounts42StatementofNationalAuditOfficefinancialimpactsfor00793IndependentstatementtothePublicAccountsCommission97Contactus98ContentsAnnualReportKeyresultsandachievements462accountsaudited,exceedingourtargettohelpdepartmentsdeliver65percentofauditedaccountswithinfourmonthsoftherelevantfinancialyearend;60majorreportsdeliveredtoParliament,coveringtheworkofallmajorgovernmentdepartmentsandaddressingkeythemesforthedeliveryofpublicservices;provided17parliamentaryselectcommitteeswitharangeofsupport,inadditiontoourworkfortheCommitteeofPublicAccounts;supportedstronggovernanceandaccountabilityin40developingcountriesandothernations;and£656millionofverifiedfinancialimpacts,anincreaseof£74millionoverlastyearandrepresentingareturnofover£9forevery£1spentrunningtheNationalAuditOffice.•••••KeyresultsandachievementsAnnualReportTheNationalAuditOfficeworksonbehalfofParliamentandthetaxpayertoholdgovernmenttoaccountfortheuseofpublicmoneyandtohelppublicservicesimproveperformance.Weaimtobeattheleadingedgeofglobalauditpracticeandassessingpublicserviceperformance.WeprovideindependentanalysisandassurancetoParliament.Ourfinancialauditworkhelpsgovernmentenhanceeffectivefinancialmanagementandtransparentreporting.Ourvalueformoneyauditseekstomakerecommendationsleadingdirectlytoimprovementsandefficienciesinpublicservices.WelooktoplaceourskillsattheserviceofParliamentasawhole,supportingtheCommitteeofPublicAccounts,otherselectcommitteesandindividualmembersintheirscrutinyofpublicexpenditureandservicedelivery.Ourinternationalworkhashelpedtosharegoodpracticeandsupportimprovinggovernanceandaccountabilityindevelopingnations.Indoingso,werecognisetheneedtodemonstratethevalueandproportionalityofsuchwork.Wearealsocommittedtointernalimprovement,todrivingthroughfurtherefficienciesinourownoperations,andatalltimesweseektoupholdthehighestethicalandprofessionalstandards.Inachallengingyearwehavenonethelessdeliveredagainstourkeygoals.Wehaveaudited6accounts,exceedingourtargettocomplete6percentofauditswithinfourmonthsoftherelevantfinancialyearend.Wehavedelivered60majorreportstoParliament,coveringtheworkofallmajorgovernmentdepartments.WehaveincreasedthesupportweprovidetoParliament,providing7SelectCommitteeswithawiderangeofsupportinadditiontoourcoreworkfortheCommitteeofPublicAccounts.WehavemaintainedourworktosupportimprovedfinancialmanagementandgovernanceTheComptrollerandAuditorGeneral’soverview6AnnualReportOverviewindevelopingcountries.Andwehaveagainincreasedthefinancialimpactarisingasaresultofourwork.Thisyear,ourverifiedfinancialimpactsamountedto£66million,anincreaseof£7millionoverlastyearandrepresentingareturnofover£9forevery£spentrunningtheNationalAuditOffice.Theseachievementshavebeendeliveredinachangingenvironment.Mypredecessor,SirJohnBourn,retiredinJanuaryfollowing0yearsofdistinguishedserviceasComptrollerandAuditorGeneral.InNovemberourLondonbasedstaffmovedtotemporaryaccommodationasthemajorrefurbishmentofourheadquartersbuildingbegan.Thisprojectisdueforcompletionin009andwillprovideourstaffwithamodernworkingenvironmentinwhichtooperate.WehavecontinuedtomakeprogressinexpandingtheproportionofstaffbasedoutsideLondoninourNewcastleoffice.InMarch,thePublicAccountsCommissionannouncedproposalsfornewcorporategovernancearrangementsfortheNationalAuditOffice.WewelcometheseproposalsandareworkingwiththeCommissionandtheGovernmenttosupporttheirintroduction.Thecomingyearis,therefore,likelytoseefurtherchangeandwearecommittedtocontinuallyimprovingthewaysinwhichwework.ItisaprivilegetoleadtheNationalAuditOfficeatthisjunctureinitshistory.Ithankourstaff,andthosewhoworkwithus,fortheircontinuedcommitmentandenthusiasmindeliveringourvisiontohelpthenationspendwisely.TimBurrOverviewAnnualReport7AnnualReportXxxxxxxxxxxOurroleOurservicetoParliamentandthepublicsectorWechallenge,holdinggovernmenttoaccountforthewayitusespublicmoney.Wesuppor