Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today that the Government is on course to achieve a significant increase in the level of electricity generated from renewable sources – as part of its response to global warming – but a number of challenges remain to achieving its 10 per cent target for […]
This report sets out the challenges facing the water industry in England and assesses how Defra is tackling them.
This report sets out the facts about the government’s support of shale gas development in England.
This briefing was prepared for the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee to support its evidence session on the work of Ofgem.
This report examines the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy’s progress in rolling out smart meters.
This report examines how effectively Ofgem has used electricity network price controls to protect consumers and achieve government’s environmental goals.
This report examines Defra’s approach to developing the Future Farming and Countryside Programme.
Against a background of rising gas prices, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today on major developments in the gas industry that have the potential to reduce gas bills in the longer term. There is uncertainty, however, as to whether consumers will see the full extent of the potential benefits. In […]
More employers in England need to be persuaded of the value to their businesses of employment-related education and skills training, according to the National Audit Office. Today’s report to Parliament recommends that the ways in which employers get advice and information be simplified; that the emphasis should be on flexible and affordable training that employers […]
This briefing has been prepared in response to a request from the Environmental Audit Committee for an update on the Government’s sustainable procurement commitments and its progress against those commitments.
This Memorandum was prepared for the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change select committee to support its inquiry into the implications of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico for UK deep water drilling.
This briefing was prepared for the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Select Committee to support its evidence session on the work of the Ofgem.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today that the Department for Work and Pensions provides an effective range of support that helps thousands of disabled people find employment each year. However more needs to be done to increase the number of people assisted into work and to help many of those […]
Customs has moved quickly to tighten border controls against illegal imports of animal products from outside of the European Union, since taking over this enforcement role in April 2003. As a result, the number of seizures has more than doubled, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today. He recommended that […]
Difficulties encountered by a government agency in making payments under the EU’s Single Payment Scheme have caused distress to a significant minority of farmers, cost farmers money in additional interest and bank charges, and undermined the farming industry’s confidence in the agency, according to a report published today. The study by the National Audit Office […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today that the Emissions Trading Scheme has brought about a reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases and that the Scheme has benefited the UK economy. He noted that, whilst some reductions were likely to have happened without the Scheme, most of the reductions were generated […]
The Warm Front scheme for improving the energy efficiency of households suffering from fuel poverty has been more successful than the former Home Energy Efficiency Scheme which it replaced in June 2000. However, according to today’s report to Parliament by head of the NAO Sir John Bourn, the scheme is not reaching those in greatest […]
This report identifies lessons from the management and performance of the packaging recycling obligation system.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today on the progress made by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in implementing recommendations made by the Committee of Public Accounts following the 2001 outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease. Good progress has been made on most of the recommendations made […]
This report examines the effectiveness of regulations to ensure that food is safe and is what it says it is.