Scrutiny Unit archive publications and reports
Publications produced by the Scrutiny Unit
Review of Departmental Annual Reports
Every government Department has been publishing an annual report in May or July. Scrutinising these reports has been one of the core tasks of departmental select committees, who are assisted in that task by the Scrutiny Unit.
In 2005, for the first time, the Scrutiny Unit drew on its analysis of 21 such reports to identify good and bad practice in the way Departments organise and present the information. The review also identifies areas where more financial data would be helpful, examines the adequacy of Departments' reporting against targets, including efficiency targets, and makes suggestions for improving the reports.
- Review of Departmental Reports, 2009
- Review of Departmental Reports, 2008
- Review of Departmental Reports, 2007
- Review of Departmental Annual Reports, 2006
- Summary of Review of Departmental Annual Reports, 2005
- Review of Departmental Annual Reports, 2005
Review of Mid Year Reports
Mid year reports are documents produced by government departments mid way through the financial year to give updates on spending and performance of the department. The reports will be published annually, beginning in January 2014. Links to each department's mid year report will be posted on this page.
Mid Year Reports
2014-15
- Cabinet Office (PDF 954 KB)
- Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (PDF 1MB)
- Department for Communities and Local Government (PDF 1MB)
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport (PDF 1MB)
- Department for Energy and Climate Change (PDF 677KB)
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (PDF 547 KB)
- Department for Health (PDF 701KB)
- Department for International Development (PDF 415KB)
- Department for Transport (PDF 883KB)
- Department for Work and Pensions (PDF 798KB)
- Foreign & Commonwealth Office (PDF 3MB)
- HM Revenue and Customs (PDF 245KB)
- Home Office (PDF 732 KB)
- Ministry of Defence (PDF 246KB)
- Ministry of Justice (PDF 769KB)
2013-14
- Cabinet Office
- Department for Business Innovation and Skills
- Department for Communities and Local Government
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport
- Department for Education
- Department of Energy and Climate Change
- Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
- Department for International Development
- Department for Transport
- Department for Work & Pension
- Foreign & Commonwealth Office
- HM Revenue & Customs
- HM Treasury
- Home Office
- Ministry of Defence
- Ministry of Justice
- Scrutiny Unit review of first Mid-Year Reports (
DOCX 32 KB)
April 2014
Economics in practice:
Public sector pay (Opens in a new window)
House prices (Opens in a new window)
Health care (Opens in a new window)
Economic rationales for regulating markets (Opens in a new window)
Wider Scrutiny Unit outputs:
Evaluation of the Public Reading Pilot
Review of Estimates memorandum, September 2011
The "Alignment" (Clear Line of Sight) project, July 2010
Latest newsletter for Members, July 2010
Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) within Government, July 2009
Submission to Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory, May 2009
Private Finance Initiative (PFI): its rationale and accounting treatment, June 2008
Public Sector Pensions, May 2007
Scrutiny Unit: a guide to its work, November 2008
Guide for Departments on preparing Estimates memoranda , October 2006
Note on post-legislative scrutiny, January 2006
Improving public sector performance, 2006
Scrutiny of Regulatory Impact Assessments, 2006
Presentation on Review of Departmental Annual Reports, 2005
Understanding Government finance
This note provides a summary of changes in Government financial management in recent years, including changes in the way departments report their finances and performance to Parliament. It includes an organisational chart showing the organisations involved in financial scrutiny and a timeline which shows the timing of the presentation of key documents to Parliament (note last updated May 2012).
This note provides the latest guide to the role of Parliament in scrutinising public expenditure planned and incurred by the Government (note updated June 2010).
Liaison Committee Reports
The Liaison Committee's sessional report includes information on the Scrutiny Unit.
Work of the Scrutiny Unit 2008-09, Liaison Committee Annual Report, HC 426, Session 2009-10
Work of the Scrutiny Unit 2007-08, Liaison Committee Annual Report, HC 291, Session 2008-09
Work of the Scrutiny Unit 2006-07, Liaison Committee Annual Report, HC 427, Session 2007-08
Work of the Scrutiny Unit 2005-06, Liaison Committee Annual Report, HC 406, Session 2006-07
Work of the Scrutiny Unit 2003-04, Liaison Committee Annual Report, HC 419, Session 2004-05
Work of the Scrutiny Unit 2002-03, Liaison Committee Annual Report, HC 446, Session 2003-04
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