Treasury

The discreet charms of the PFI

19 August 2011 | Mark Hellowell

Two parliamentary reports are increasing the pressure on the Private Finance Initiative, yet it’s hard to imagine the government resisting its fiscal advantages Read more...

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Cracking the code

19 August 2011 | Sarah Sheen

It may be the summer, but public sector accountants still have work to do in updating the code of practice governing local government accounting Read more

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Scaremongering on the 50p top tax rate

2 August 2011 | Dan Corry

Only 1 per cent of the population earn enough to pay the 50p top tax rate. So why all the fuss? Read more

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WGA: the whole truth?

15 July 2011 | Paul Mason

Publication of the Whole of Government Accounts is a remarkable achievement, but the new transparency requires robust data and an understanding of context Read more

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OBR report: now for the even worse news

13 July 2011 | Tony Travers

The Office for Budget Responsibility has presented a sobering view of the pressures facing governments in the decades ahead Read more

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A pointless PFI report, by Tim Care

28 April 2011 | Tim Care

Stop press: the latest report from the National Audit Office on Private Finance Initiative projects has just been published.  Does it offer any new insight into the issues?  Does it offer possible solutions?  In a word, ‘no’. Read more...

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Treasury in a tangle over PFI, by Tony Travers

17 February 2011 | Tony Travers

The government has launched an inquiry into how to achieve savings in the charges made for Private Finance Initiative contracts.  According to the Treasury’s press notice on the subject: ‘The contract for the Queen’s Hospital in Romford will be examined by an experienced team of commercial, legal and technical advisors to identify ways of reducing ongoing costs in this contract on behalf of the local NHS Trust.  The lessons will then be used to drive savings across the full portfolio of PFI contracts.’ Read more...

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Time for top-line growth, by James Close

9 February 2011 | James Close

The coalition has set out its spending plans – in corporate terms, what it plans to do on expenditure.  Now ministers must focus on economic growth – to grow the economy’s ‘top line’ or revenue.  This challenge needs to occupy hearts and minds up and down Whitehall. Read more...

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Treasury sets PFI terms in concrete, by Mark Hellowell

26 January 2011 | Mark Hellowell

In this time of austerity in state spending, almost all areas of the public sector are under pressure to cut costs and strip out waste. But for investors in the new schools, hospitals, prisons, transport infrastructure and defence equipment provided under the private finance initiative, there has been little need for concern. Read more...

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