1 We reached our independent conclusion on how well the Department can achieve and measure the expected benefits of flying training run by an external provider by analysing evidence that we collected between January and April 2015. Our audit approach is outlined in Appendix One.
2 We considered the context for the Department when developing its plans to work with industry to develop new core training, such as the financial environment and for UK defence needs. We reviewed official documents that showed why the Department made key decisions and how it assessed value for money.
3 We assessed the Department's aims for the new core training. We also examined its understanding of the complex factors involved in training aircrew and how it has sought to transfer risk to its external provider.
4 We conducted semi-structured interviews with officials responsible for recording data on training and for getting the benefits of the new core training. We assessed the robustness of management information available and whether the Department had a clear understanding of the factors which affect flying training.
5 We independently assessed the management information which the Department holds on the current flying training and how the data was being used to measure improvements against the aims of the new core training.
6 We assessed whether the Department is on track to introduce new core training to time and cost.
7 We reviewed the contract between the Department and Ascent to determine the suitability of the contract to encourage Ascent to achieve the aims for new core flying training.
8 We looked at the flexibility of the contract and the Department's ability to make changes to training in response to changes in military need.
9 We undertook semi-structured interviews with senior management from Ascent, in order to determine the Department's performance from a contractor perspective and to assess the level of risk transfer.
10 We undertook semi-structured interviews with staff at operational training units who receive newly-trained aircrew to understand whether their needs were being met and their level of interaction with the core training system.
11 We visited locations where training is conducted, and performed semi-structured interviews with staff in order to get their views on how training operates and to determine the risks involved in providing training.
12 We undertook document review of the business cases for each area of new core training in order to assess whether the Department had a clear understanding of its requirements for training and whether it had clearly defined the responsibilities of the contractor.
13 We conducted semi-structured interviews with senior officials within the Department with responsibility for the existing and new core training. We discussed how flying training is run, the risks to running it effectively, the development of the new core training and the expected benefits of an external provider.