3 Disseminating good practice
23. The Department has a senior accountant from
KPMG on its board as a non-executive director. He also chairs
the Department's Audit and Risk Committee, which provides a robust
challenge, holding the Department to account for its financial
management. The Department reported that he has helped, alongside
the Director General, Finance and the Director of Finance, to
raise standards, to challenge, to demand accuracy, not to be satisfied
with inadequate data, bringing a rigour that is seen by the Accounting
Officer as being very important. The challenge that non-executives
can bring with their outside experience is very helpful, not just
to the Audit and Risk Committees, but to departmental Boards more
generally. The Committee notes that there are plenty of people
who have a senior business background, alongside a basic level
of understanding of accounting matters, who are capable of making
a very good contribution to Government departments as non-executives.
It is crucial that departments provide the receptive environment,
as FCO has done, to maximise the positive contribution that non-executive
directors can make.[52]
24. In addition to the Financial Reporting and
Management Group in the Treasury, which holds regular seminars
and training events with finance directors and departments to
spread good practice, there is a strong network of finance directors
around Whitehall.[53]
For example, the FCO's Director General Finance sits on the Finance
Leadership Group.[54]
As part of the Five Star Finance programme, the Department is
keen to act as a beacon and share good practice. The Director
of Finance has set up a Business Improvement Group. This Group
brings together people from across Whitehall who are interested
in sharing good practice and learning from each other.[55]
52 Qq 43-45 Back
53
Q 36 Back
54
Q 37 Back
55
Q 38 Back
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