Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today that good progress has been made in recent years in increasing the overall employment rate for older people. The gap between the proportion of older people in work compared to the general working population has also narrowed by 1 per cent over […]
This report sets out the challenges facing the water industry in England and assesses how Defra is tackling them.
Interactive map showing local authority spend on waste, recycling rates and waste management sites in England.
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 […]
Regulators and government need to work together better to ensure that vulnerable consumers get the support they need.
Explore examples where local public bodies have tried to make it easier for voluntary, community and social enterprises to bid for contracts.
Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today that VisitBritain’s overseas marketing activities are well planned and executed, and that they achieve high returns. However his report called on VisitBritain to adjust the balance of its activities further in favour of brand building work in emerging markets. VisitBritain’s main performance […]
Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office reported today on the entry clearance operation run by UKvisas at British Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates around the world. It is government policy to facilitate the entry of those qualifying for visas as quickly and simply as possible, while turning away unqualified applicants. UKvisas faces […]
Venture capital funds injected by government into young companies can provide benefit to them, allowing them to raise finance not available through conventional means and to grow. But so far the funds have not been managed as a programme and lack a robust framework of objectives to measure performance, according to a report published by […]
The evasion of road tax by motorists and motorcyclists has increased significantly, the National Audit Office has reported. According to the Department for Transport’s roadside survey in June 2006, Vehicle Excise Duty evasion was running at some 5 per cent (£217 million), up from 3.6 per cent (£147 million) the previous year. The Driver and […]
Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, today reported to Parliament on the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) accounts for 2005-06. The VED evasion rate increased from 3.4 percent in 2004 to 3.6 percent in 2005 (£147 million). This reversed the previous decrease, and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) acknowledges that it […]
The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) has increased the number of dangerous commercial vehicles that it removes from the roads from 28,900 in 2007-08 to 36,500 in 2008-09, but the Agency could make better use of its resources and the effectiveness of its roadside checks is constrained according to a National Audit Office report […]
The National Audit Office has today backed HM Revenue and Customs’ assessment that the overall risk to VAT revenue from on-line shopping, or e-commerce, is currently low. The Department has been alert to specific areas of risk which have emerged and is well-positioned to tackle these. As activity increases in this fast changing environment, it […]