A National Audit Office (NAO) report has blasted the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) for writing off its website at a cost of £866,000, without seeking departmental approval for losses incurred.

In May 2009 the rights commission's transitional website crashed to such an extent officials deemed it couldn't be restored or used further. According to discussions with sponsor department the Government Equalities Office (GEO),the website was too ambitious and poorly specified.Inadequate documentation foiled attempts to understand what went wrong.