Channel 4 Dispatches scrutinises public sector spending and NPfIT

A Channel 4 Dispatches documentary tonight, 9 March, examines a rise in public sector spending, including increases in the estimated costs of the NHS's National Programme for IT (NPfIT).

The NHS IT scheme was originally announced as costing £2.3bn. This later became £6.2bn and £12.7bn is the latest estimate. So far about £4bn has actually been spent, but the NPfIT has five or more years left to run.

The Dispatches film is expected to include an interview with Computer Weekly about a short meeting at Downing Street in 2002 which set in motion the NPfIT. Under the Freedom of Information Act, Computer Weekly obtained minutes of the meeting, which was chaired by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The film investigates a variety of controversial public projects which have had millions, if not billions, spent on them and attempts to discover where the money went, who sanctioned the spending and why so little appears to have been done to prevent waste and excess.