20/12/2007

A recent report into the current position of governmental departments found that only half of the data systems used to measure progress on the government's public service agreement (PSA) targets were operable.

The National Audit Office (NAO) found that out of the 237 systems, only 35 per cent were broadly fit for purpose but needed strengthening while eight per cent were unfit all around.

NAO chief Sir John Bourn said: "It is good news that data systems are improving, but departments must transfer these lessons to their new data systems. If we are to have confidence in the performance reported by government, all systems used to monitor it must be robust."

PSAs were first put out in 1998 to improve the accountability of government spending.

Conservative shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Philip Hammond said that Gordon Brown had said only those departments which met their PSA targets would receive money.

"Is it any wonder that so much public money has been wasted," he said, "when half of the data systems that measure progress against these targets are not fit for purpose?"