Audit office tells DEFRA to offer better value

摘要

Though it has made some progress, the environment department (DEFRA) is still not achieving value for money with its financial management, concludes the National Audit Office (NAO). In a report into the department's performance, the government's spending watchdog acknowledges that DEFRA has "taken steps to improve its financial management" since 2008, when it was last assessed.1 But the benefits have not been measured and the extent of the improvements remain unknown. The NAO also says it expected DEFRA to display faster progress on financial management and "a higher level of financial maturity, given the resources spent". Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, said DEFRA should now "grasp the opportunity... to instil good financial management across its business and deliver better value for money".