The Public Accounts Committee at the House of Commons Oral Evidence by CIC and OGC

CIC Chairman Turlogh O’Brien and the Chairman of CIC’s Public Sector Procurement Panel, Alan Gilbertson, presented oral evidence on the Auditor General’s Report ‘PFI: Construction Performance’ for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on 24 March 2003. Both Chairmen were witnesses at the hearing together with Peter Gershon, Chief Executive of OGC.

The Committee concentrated on questioning the results of the survey on which the report was based; those results showing that most PFI projects studied have shown significant progress in achieving price certainty, delivery on time, and satisfaction with quality.

Witnesses affirmed through their answers that PFI should not be conceived as the best procurement route but rather used where it can achieve more Value For Money and successful service delivery. Quality can be improved through adopting the Design Quality Indicator (DQI) tool, which prompts the involvement of all users and stakeholders in evaluating the building during all its stages.

A report on the hearing will be issued by the PAC.