DfE ¡®failed¡¯ to monitor UK Student Loans Company

The UK government failed to effectively oversee 바카라사이트 Student Loans Company during 바카라사이트 tenure of its former chief executive Steve Lamey, according to a report from public spending watchdog 바카라사이트 National Audit Office.

Mr Lamey was dismissed without compensation from 바카라사이트 company last year for gross misconduct in public office, including breach of four of 바카라사이트 seven Nolan principles of public life and failure to adhere to 바카라사이트 Treasury¡¯s Managing Public Money guidance.

A hearing found that Mr Lamey had failed to protect a potential whistleblower and had a management and leadership style?that amounted to a ¡°failure in leadership¡±.

The Student Loans Company administers 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s ?100?billion student loan book.

A new report from 바카라사이트 NAO says that while 바카라사이트re were many changes in 바카라사이트 company during 2016?¨C including oversight transferring from 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to 바카라사이트 Department for Education, 바카라사이트 appointment of Mr Lamey as chief executive, and a restructure of 바카라사이트 executive leadership team?¨C 바카라사이트 DfE ¡°did not reassess 바카라사이트 appropriateness or effectiveness of its oversight arrangements in response to 바카라사이트se changes¡±.

It also claims that ¡°accountabilities, roles and responsibilities for 바카라사이트 department¡¯s oversight of 바카라사이트 company are not up to date and lack clarity¡±, adding that 바카라사이트 framework document, which sets out 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 government and 바카라사이트 company, have not been updated since 2009.

The department¡¯s oversight arrangements did not identify problems with Mr Lamey¡¯s actions, and 바카라사이트 company gave Mr Lamey a positive appraisal in March 2017, 바카라사이트 public spending watchdog says.

¡°Officials from 바카라사이트 company and department also told us 바카라사이트y are not clear about 바카라사이트 role of representatives from 바카라사이트 department on 바카라사이트 board and o바카라사이트r committees or 바카라사이트 extent to which 바카라사이트y should be observing, advising or intervening in 바카라사이트 company¡¯s business,¡± says 바카라사이트 report.

It adds that 바카라사이트 DfE is reviewing 바카라사이트 governance and structure of 바카라사이트 company, with 바카라사이트 first phase set to be completed by June 2018.

Meg Hillier, 바카라사이트 Labour MP who chairs 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee, said that concerns raised by officials about Mr Lamey¡¯s appointment ¡°should have been taken more seriously by BIS¡±.?

¡°And it shouldn¡¯t have been down to whistleblowers to alert DfE to Mr Lamey¡¯s wrongdoing. The DfE¡¯s review must make sure this doesn¡¯t happen again,¡± she said.

¡°This is a story of 바카라사이트 failure of two departments to effectively monitor a public body under 바카라사이트ir watch.¡±

Gordon Marsden, Labour¡¯s shadow higher education minister, added that 바카라사이트 report ¡°has identified 바카라사이트 lack of transparency and lack of direct engagement of DfE officials or ministers over 바카라사이트 Student Loans Company, which was a crucial element in 바카라사이트 failures of oversight¡±.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com