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30 Aug 2012
The Scottish Government has been criticised by Audit Scotland for poor management in relation to three multi-million IT projects in Scotland.
Around £133 million was spent on major communications initiatives in the Procurator Fiscal Service, Disclosure Scotland and Registers of Scotland.
Audit Scotland has criticised all three, citing a lack of specialist knowledge, after the projects were either cancelled, delayed or came in wildly over budget.
The report also voiced concern for projects it has not examined, with around £740 million a year being spent on such schemes in Scotland’s public services.
Scottish Conservative MSP and convener of the economy committee Murdo Fraser said:
“It is crucial we learn the lessons from these findings, because in tough financial times we cannot afford to throw money away in such a reckless manner.
“Surely it is common sense that before any project is launched, at least someone with specialist knowledge and skills is involved at the very heart of it.
“Yet Audit Scotland has found the opposite, and this error is costing the public purse tens of millions.
“These three projects investigated are only the ones we know about, and with £740 million spent a year across the country, you have to wonder what proportion of that is being wasted.”
