Communication and media
Listed below are the latest news articles published on the Swedish NAO website. Previous news related to our reports and review results can be accessed from our reports page or by using the website search in the page header.
News articles
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The Swedish NAO is embarking on a collaboration with Afghanistan
The Swedish NAO has been tasked by the Riksdag to run international development cooperation projects on audit-related activities. The Swedish NAO is now embarking on a collaboration with the Supreme Audit Office of Afghanistan (SAOA) to help strengthen its ability and capacity.
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Deficiencies in processing research and innovation funds by the Swedish Transport Administration
The Swedish Transport Administration has not had sufficient control of its research funds, shows the Swedish National Audit Office audit. The deficiencies include risk analysis, administrative procedures and management of taxpayers’ money.
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Development opportunities for the Swedish Armed Forces’ regional staffs
At an overall level the Swedish Armed Forces’ regional staffs carry out their tasks expediently, but at higher levels of conflict their work is restricted by shortcomings in conditions and methods, according to the Swedish NAO’s audit.
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Weak protection against corruption at Swedish embassies and consulates
The protection against corruption and other fraud in migration activities at Sweden’s missions abroad is weak and could be strengthened. This applies in particular to the work of discovering fraud and investigating reported fraud, shows the Swedish NAO’s audit.
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Poor knowledge of how the Swedish Public Employment Service's preparatory training scheme for newly arrived immigrants works
Almost 40 per cent of participants in preparatory training for newly arrived immigrants have left the Swedish Public Employment Service (PES) after four years. Of those fewer than one in three has a job, but many of them were neither working nor participating in labour market measures. Among those who are registered with the PES after four years, almost one in four has some type of employment.
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Major overestimation of the number of participants in new labour market policy measures
Between the years 2006–2015 the Government systematically overestimated the number of future participants in new labour market measures. This has meant ineffective use of the Swedish Public Employment Service's appropriation and increased risk of incorrect priorities, shows the Swedish National Audit Office audit.
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Municipal reporting of costs needs to be adapted to new demands for reliability
If Sweden’s municipalities used common policies to account for costs, comparisons between municipalities with different organisations would be facilitated. In addition, the risk of manipulation of the equalisation system for costs associated with the Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments (LSS) would be reduced, shows the Swedish National Audit Office audit.
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Unclear conditions for supply of food and medicinal products in an emergency situation
The Government and responsible authorities have not created sufficient conditions for efficient supply of food and medicinal products in the event of an emergency. The Swedish National Audit Office notes that clearer objectives and division of responsibility are necessary, among other things.
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Deficiencies in higher education institutions’ provision of premises
Half of all state higher education institutions have no current plan for provision of premises and thus risk non-compliance with the Government’s requirements or current regulations, shows the Swedish National Audit Office audit.
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Risk of legal uncertainty for sick leave for mental ill health
Doctors in primary care have great difficulty in living up to the Social Insurance Agency’s requirements for sickness reporting for mental ill health. The Swedish National Audit Office’s latest audit shows that this risks leading to inconsistent and legally uncertain application of regulations when people who are unwell apply for compensation.
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Housing allowance is a debt trap for households with low incomes – a review is necessary
The housing allowance recovery system leads to low-income families with children frequently getting into debt. The Swedish National Audit Office audit shows that the changes recently proposed are a step in the right direction, but that this form of benefit as a whole should be reviewed.
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Worse health and finances when sickness and activity compensation is refused
The findings of the Swedish National Audit Office’s latest audit indicate that the rules for sickness and activity compensation should be changed, so that more people can receive compensation. According to Auditor General Stefan Lundgren, the current rules are far too strict, bearing in mind the negative consequences a refusal has on individuals’ health and finances.
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Risk of incorrect financial compensation to municipalities for central government reforms
Deficient application of the municipal financing principle means that municipalities risk incorrect financial compensation when central government reforms are implemented. The Swedish National Audit Office audit shows that this may ultimately force municipalities to reorder priorities in their activities.
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Police intelligence sharing at regional level should develop further
The Swedish NAO has audited whether the Police Authority and the Swedish Security Service share intelligence effectively. The audit findings are positive overall, but conditions at regional level should be developed.
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Over-utilisation of the dental care subsidy scheme
The Swedish National Audit Office audit shows that the national dental care subsidy is over-utilised due to overtreatment by dentists. Improved controls and stricter sanctions should therefore be considered.
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Extended assignment for Alexandra Popovic in international auditing standards forum
The Swedish National Audit Office’s Alexandra Popovic has been a member of the Forum for INTOSAI Professional Pronouncements (FIPP) since 2015. The Forum is an expert group whose mission is to ensure that international standards for public auditing maintain high quality and provide a coherent framework for how public auditing is to be conducted.
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The Government's corporate governance of enterprises with a public policy mandate needs improvement
In order to give the enterprises with a public policy mandate better prerequisites to create public utility, the Government must improve its corporate governance. The Government should also improve the monitoring and reporting of how well the enterprises fulfil their assignment, and highlight conflicts between policy assignments and financial yield.
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The main cause of poorer matching in the labour market is not the mix of job applicants
Matching between jobseekers and vacancies has steadily deteriorated in recent years. The Swedish National Audit Office can now show that the method used to analyse the reasons for these developments has not been appropriate. This in turn risks leading to incorrect conclusions about the measures that should have priority.
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Deficient impact assessments for migration policy bills
The impact assessments for the Government’s migration policy bills have been deficient, according to the Swedish National Audit Office’s audit. For example, there were no economic analyses, credible estimates of the number of asylum seekers or descriptions of how the draft bills impact people, agencies, municipalities and county councils.
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Complicated rules when self-employed want to take parental leave
Rules for parental benefits for self-employed persons are complicated, which places great demands on the Swedish Social Insurance Agency’s communication. Despite this, the audit by the Swedish National Audit Office indicates that there are good conditions in place for fair and equivalent processing.
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Kenya is awarded for the best performance audit report
The Office of the Auditor General of Kenya (OAG) was today awarded the prize for the best performance audit report in the AFROSAI-E region. The award, sponsored by the Swedish National Audit Office, consists of a study visit to Sweden for the team leader and the team members to exchange views and knowledge with the colleagues.
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Clearer mandate from Finansinspektionen could improve efficiency of financial stability work
To avoid financial crises Sweden has extended supervision of the financial system with macroprudential supervision. Macroprudential supervision is relatively effective, but could be even better if the Government presented its view of various measures more clearly, and clarified the remit of Finansinspektionen.
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Aid effectiveness prospects in Swedish agencies’ development aid
Sida (the Swedish International Development Agency) and Swedish expert agencies have created conditions for effective support to government administrations in other countries. However, there is room for improvement regarding partners’ ownership and coordination between Swedish public agencies.
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No major regional differences in effects of labour market training
The Swedish National Audit Office has audited whether there are regional variations in the impact of the Swedish Public Employment Service's labour market training. The audit findings show that there is small variation in the probability of having a job after participating in the training programme.
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Lack of central government responsibility in the guardianship system
There are major deficiencies in the oversight of legal representatives and chief guardians. The Government should increase its responsibilities in achieving greater legal security throughout the country, writes the Swedish NAO in a performance audit report.
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Unclear how fiscal policy has been related to the economic situation
There is increased transparency in the Government’s fiscal policy bills and the central government annual report. However, the Swedish National Audit Office would like to see clearer reporting of fiscal policy considerations in relation to the economic situation and the local government sector’s needs for central government grants in the longer term.
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Difficult to assure quality of population registration
The Swedish NAO’s audit shows that the Swedish Tax Agency's work to maintain quality in population registration is not conducted effectively. This increases the risk of various types of welfare crime.
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Major uncertainties in financing of nuclear waste management
The Swedish National Audit Office audit shows that it is not certain whether the fees paid by the nuclear power industry for future management of nuclear waste will be sufficient – or whether taxpayers will have to share the bill.
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The Swedish National Audit Office proposes new system of specific government grants to schools
The system with a broad range of specific government grants to schools is not efficient. The Swedish National Audit Office proposes that the grants be merged into one single grant that each education provider can apply for on the basis of local conditions and needs.
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Unclear effects of support to solar power
Government support to solar power is based on reference material that lacks well-considered socio-economic analyses. Another form of support would probably have given more renewable electricity for the money, at least in the short term. The cost-effectiveness of the support in the long term is unclear and should be investigated, according to the Swedish NAO’s audit.
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Unused funds at public higher education institutions
Swedish public higher education institutions (HEIs) have accumulated more than twelve billion kronor in unspent government appropriations and other grants and fees. The Swedish NAO notes that this is inefficient use of resources and wants to see clearer governance on the part of the Government.
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Inadequate planning for relocation of Kiruna and Malmberget
The Government and LKAB had insufficient decision-support data for decisions on mining operations that would lead to parts of Kiruna and Malmberget having to be moved. This has had negative consequences for LKAB but may also mean that municipalities, companies and private individuals will not receive correct compensation.
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Effects of the utility value system on income
When there is a major shortage of housing, the design of the national system for rent setting, called the utility value system, means a reduction in income from work. This is shown in an audit by the Swedish National Audit Office.
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Sweden risks missing common EU infrastructure objectives
Sweden has undertaken to develop some roads and railways so that the EU will have a cohesive core network. The Swedish National Audit Office's audit shows that the Government and the Swedish Transport Administration have not given this commitment priority in national infrastructure planning, which means there is a risk that the EU objectives will not be achieved in time.
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Swedish National Audit Office’s support in the Balkans gives positive results
The Swedish National Audit Office supports sister-organisations in the Western Balkans in developing their performance audit capacities. A regional parallel performance audit project, on the theme public procurement has been finalised. The project has focused on practical support assisting the participants with the audit process. The cooperation has been successful and strengthened the participating organisations ability to audit and their relationships with each other.
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The audit obligation for small companies should be reintroduced
The audit obligation for small limited companies was abolished in 2010. The Swedish National Audit Office’s audit shows that the reform has had few positive effects but has entailed an increased risk of tax evasion and made fighting economic crime more difficult – and therefore the audit obligation should be reintroduced.
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The Swedish Public Employment Service's preparatory and orientation training leads to lower earnings
The Swedish NAO's audit shows that jobseekers who participate in the Swedish Public Employment Service Preparatory and Orientation Training initiative have lower future earnings than other jobseekers.
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New audit proposes improvements in the pension system’s annual report
The Swedish Pensions Agency's reporting of the pension system is by and large appropriate but risk analyses should be improved. The Swedish NAO recommends that the Swedish Pensions Agency strengthens its analysis material regarding the impact of the economy on the system’s financial result and the pension system’s key features.
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Better benefit can be drawn from international economic recommendations to Sweden
The Swedish National Audit Office would like clearer information to the Riksdag as to why Sweden does not follow certain recommendations we receive from international reviewing organisations.
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Audit of central government teachers’ pay initiatives – higher pay but less cohesion
The audit shows that central government teachers’ pay initiatives have increased teachers’ pay levels. This has also improved the attractiveness of the profession. But the reforms have also created divisions among teachers.
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