The Public Accounts Committee investigated cross-government working, publishing a report into the inquiry this year. Insufficient or lacking data is impeding collaboration among government departments on various projects.

A recent report emphasises the need for enhanced transparency in reporting across multiple policy domains, including achieving net zero emissions, improving health and social care, and addressing regional disparities.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) underscores the imperative for effective interdepartmental cooperation, urging both HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office to take proactive measures to facilitate and enhance such collaboration. The PAC highlights recurring obstacles that hinder cross-government initiatives, such as bureaucratic barriers, unclear ministerial priorities, inconsistent allocation of resources, inadequate data sharing, and limited mechanisms for sharing best practices.

Numerous cross-government endeavours reviewed by the PAC suffer from data deficiencies, notably in areas like the criminal justice system and monitoring net zero investments. The report underscores persistent challenges in data management, citing technical complexities and departmental reluctance to share information as major impediments to collaborative efforts.

Moreover, the report highlights the lack of clarity regarding departmental responsibilities for policies spanning multiple domains. Key policy areas like achieving net zero emissions, improving healthcare, and promoting regional development lack consistent reporting mechanisms, prompting the PAC to urge the Cabinet Office to enhance transparency in reporting on these cross-cutting objectives.

While initial efforts have been made to assess cross-government collaboration, the PAC urges HM Treasury to exert further influence. This includes scrutinizing proposed projects to ensure alignment with cross-cutting objectives, incorporating robust evaluation plans, and specifying expected cross-government outcomes and outputs.

The Full Report –

https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/43286/documents/215470/default/

Details on the Inquiry –

https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7941/crossgovernment-working