The National Audit Office's Evaluation of RIAs: Reflections on the Pilot Year

In 2003, the National Audit Office undertook its first year of evaluations of the quality of a sample of Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs). This article reflects on the experiences of this pilot year. It sets out the background to the National Audit Office's work, describes the methodology adopted, and then explains the main findings. Finally, it considers the benefits and limitations of this type of ex-post evaluation of the quality of RIAs.