3 This report extends the information published in our 2003 report PFI: Construction Performance2, which also provided data on the construction performance of non-PFI projects. The results of this work have been quoted extensively, but since 2003, there has been a significant increase in the number and range of PFI construction projects (Figure 1). It is therefore timely to update our previous work.
4 Primary evidence for this report comes from two surveys that we conducted in 2008 of public sector construction projects with a capital cost of over £20 million, completed between 2003 and 2008 in England. A sample of 17 survey respondents was selected and interviewed in-depth to provide a greater level of detail. The report also draws on secondary data from third parties, such as the Office of Government Commerce, on public sector construction projects.
5 All the statistics presented in this report are from surveys, rather than in-depth audit. For a number of reasons, such as sectoral mix, size and differing response rates, direct comparisons should not be made between the sources.
Figure 1 | |||
Sectoral mix of projects in the 2003 and 2008 PFI survey samples | |||
type of building | 2008 | 2003 |
|
Schools (Grouped) | 51 | 0 |
|
Hospitals | 34 | 11 |
|
Office buildings | 8 | 2 |
|
Waste treatment facilities | 4 | 0 |
|
MOD buildings | 3 | 5 |
|
Housing | 3 | 0 |
|
Magistrates' courts | 2 | 1 |
|
Laboratory | 1 | 1 |
|
Prisons | 1 | 7 |
|
Secure training centres | 1 | 3 |
|
Roads | 0 | 7 |
|
Other | 6 | 0 |
|
Number of Projects | 114 | 37 |
|
Source: National Audit Office (see Appendix 1 for further details) | |||
NOTES | |||
1 Other includes a DEFRA joint housing and office project, two community centres, two libraries and a transport project. 2 in 2003 a census of all 38 Central Government projects was undertaken, and 37 questionnaires were completed. In 2008 a population of 153 projects was surveyed, and 114 questionnaires were completed. | |||
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2 NAO Report. PFI: Construction Performance, (HC 371, 2002-03).