3.9 In 2012 we concluded that the Authority's reviews were more exacting than under the previous system, but organisations varied in their compliance with the system, learning systems were informal and the pool of reviewers was too limited.12 There has been no significant change in the system since then, except for the introduction of project validation reviews (paragraph 3.13 below). More than 675 Authority reviews have now taken place since September 2012.
3.10 The impact of the assurance regime on project delivery is variable. HM Treasury's investment decisions should draw on the Authority's recommendations, but the Authority cannot stop projects or withdraw funding. Departments have said that the assurance process does add value to its projects, but that some review teams lack the seniority to influence experienced project teams. The Authority is dealing with this issue by matching individuals with relevant experience to partner with the review team. The Authority is making efforts to build the pool of assurance reviewers. The Major Projects Leadership Academy programme requires candidates to conduct assurance reviews. The size of the reviewer pool has increased by some 40% since our 2012 review, but there remains a shortage of specialist skills in ICT and construction.
3.11 The Authority has been unable to identify whether there is a relationship between review recommendations and project performance, although it is currently conducting research on this. Our reports show some variability in major projects' responses to the review recommendations made by the Authority and its predecessor the Major Projects Directorate:
• Reviews made a positive impact on the Thameslink and Crossrail programmes.
• High Speed 2 and Universal Credit had been slow to respond to review recommendations in their early stages.
• The e-borders programme was re-scoped and the Universal Credit programme reset following the Authority's recommendations; the Authority also made several recommendations not to proceed with these programmes until certain conditions were met.
• Other reviews have resulted in the Authority seconding senior staff to projects or helping to reconfigure them.13
3.12 The Authority analysed the review recommendations for a 12-month period from October 2013 to September 2014. It found the most common causes for concern occurred early in projects, as the Committee of Public Accounts has raised in the past (paragraph 1.6): defining options, scope and requirements, planning how to deliver the project and identifying and managing risk. The next section discusses progress on improving early planning.
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12 See Appendix Three.
13 See Appendix Three.