We are not convinced that current plans for the transformation of security vetting are any more likely to succeed than previous failed attempts. The Cabinet Office’s first attempt at modernising the IT infrastructure for national security vetting failed, after unknowingly running almost 50% over budget and resulting in a £2.5 million write off in the Cabinet Office’s 2021–22 annual accounts. Despite broad consensus on the need for the transformation programme across government, which customer...

We are not convinced that current plans for the transformation of security vetting are any more likely to succeed than previous failed attempts. The Cabinet Office’s first attempt at modernising the IT infrastructure for national security vetting failed, after unknowingly running almost 50% over budget and resulting in a £2.5 million write off in the Cabinet Office’s 2021–22 annual accounts. Despite broad consensus on the need for the transformation programme across government, which customers have already funded, subsequent attempts at vetting reform have been stymied by the lack of spending approval and the priority given to the stabilisati Type: recommendation | Number: 6 | Response status: accepted Government response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation external support for a 10-week enhanced discovery to review and advise on how best to deliver Vetting Transformation. This discovery phase will assess the technical approach and delivery models for transform