I can recommend the book "Plundering the Public Sector" by David Craig that explains how projects like the NHS IT fiasco happened:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plundering-Public-Sector-Letting-Con...

[NB Note recommended for UK taxpayers who have high blood pressure and/or easily upset]

David Craig's book "Plundering the Public Sector" is a bit old, but it gives some details of how these projects were run and for whose benefit (there is a hint in the title):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plundering-Public-Sector-David-Craig...

How can an ugly building in Edinburgh cost £414 million?

A combination of incompetence, greed and a general air of "it doesn't matter as it's only taxpayers money".

Have a read of this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plundering-Public-Sector-David-Craig...