Securing our Technical Future Programme: Accounting Officer Assessment
Published 16 July 2024
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It is normal practice for Accounting Officers to scrutinise significant policy proposals or plans to start or vary major projects and assess whether they measure up to the standards set out in HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money. From April 2017, the government has committed to make a summary of the key points from these assessments available to Parliament when an Accounting Officer has agreed an assessment of projects within the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). An Accounting Officer Assessment for Securing our Technical Future (SoTF) was published in February 2020. Since then, there has been a change to scope and the programme is closing so an updated assessment has been undertaken.
Background and context
Securing our Technical Future was established in 2018 to stabilise HMRC’s IT estate, some of which was aged and out of support. The primary objectives of the programme were to remediate high priority vulnerabilities; exit 3 ageing data centres and ready the estate for a move to new destination platforms – Cloud and Crown Hosting.
Following an HMRC project and programme review in 2023, it was decided that SoTF should prioritise the migration of Critical National Infrastructure services that support HMRC’s most important operational activities. By the end of the 2023 to 2024, 372 business services had migrated out of the legacy datacentres. Where services in scope are no longer needed, the programme has retired them, undertaking associated decommissioning work.
Deliverables no longer in scope for SoTF will either be taken forward by HMRC’s Technical Health Programme or have been fully documented into a log to be managed by the head of IT Strategy and Architecture to seek alternative delivery vehicles.
Regularity
No regulatory changes were required to enact this programme. The spend is within Commissioners’ Care and Management powers. The programme has complied with Parliamentary requirements for the control of expenditure, with funds being applied only to the extent and for the purposes authorised. The programme has adhered to the relevant HM Treasury approval procedures.
Propriety
The programme adheres to HMRC’s change lifecycle governance and undertakes the appropriate assessments and reporting. Iterations of the programme business case have been approved at the appropriate levels internally and externally – most recently in October 2023. HMRC procurement standards have been applied throughout the programme, which also follows Cabinet Office spend controls for IT and procurement. A monthly programme board is the main decision-making authority and key internal and external stakeholders are represented on it. The Senior Responsible Owner is accountable for delivery.
The programme has been part of the GMPP since 2019 and has undergone several Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) assurance reviews. An assessment of the programme’s progress is published as part of the IPA’s Annual Report on Major Projects 2022 to 2023. An IPA Gate 5 review took place in February 2024, resulting in a Green Delivery Confidence Assessment and recommendations are being actively managed to prepare for programme closure in due course.
Value for money
The programme has followed HM Treasury’s Green Book guidance. Value for money has been assessed via an options appraisal which has been documented in the programme business case. The main objective of the programme is cost avoidance and to ensure that the IT supports the business function. The agreed option offers the highest potential to achieve the programme’s objectives and minimise IT delivery risks for HMRC, providing best value for money in terms of financial, non-financial and risk avoidance benefits. The costs and benefits of the programme are measured and regularly checked against the expectations set in the business case.
Feasibility
Following the 2023 work on delivery options, and an independent technical assessment, the programme is on track to deliver the migration of prioritised Critical National Infrastructure. The programme’s approach has already seen the successful remediation of over 370 services and the remediation of services descoped from the programme in the 2023 review have been brought within other remediation activities and programmes. The successful delivery of the SOTF programme’s remaining plans were recognised by the IPA Gate 5 review which gave the programme a Green assessment.
Conclusion
As the Accounting Officer for HMRC I have considered my assessment of the Securing our Technical Future programme and concluded that the proposal remains value for money and deliverable. I have therefore approved it as of 3 June 2024. I have prepared this summary to set out the key points which informed my decision. The programme is approaching closure so no further assessments will be needed. This summary will be published on the government’s website (GOV.UK). Copies will be deposited in the Library of the House of Commons and sent to the Comptroller and Auditor General and Treasury Officer of Accounts.
Accounting Officer’s name: Jim Harra, Chief Executive HM Revenue and Customs
Signature:
Date of signing: 3 June 2024