Investment of £110bn in electricity infrastructure is needed by 2020 to meet increase in demand, to provide back-up capacity, and because of scheduled closure of one fifth of existing capacity.
This briefing on Ofgem, a non-ministerial government department, is similar to the briefings we are producing on the 15 major government departments. It is produced primarily as a briefing for the Environment and Climate Change Committee, and is based on Ofgem’s annual report and accounts and our own work relevant to Ofgem.
Review of a sample of the data systems underpinning the input and impact indicators in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Business Plan, Common Areas of Spend and wider management information.
The National Audit Office (NAO) has undertaken an efficiency review of the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) delivery of meat hygiene official controls.
The Comptroller and Auditor General, has published his audit opinion on the 2011-12 accounts of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Rural Payments Agency.
Using competition to award companies licences to transmit electricity from offshore wind farms has benefits but consumers might end up bearing the cost of inflation.
Defra, the Rural Payments Agency and Government Digital Service have not worked together effectively to deliver the Common Agricultural Policy Delivery Programme.
This Departmental Overview is one of 15 we are producing covering our work on each major government department. It summarises our work on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs during 2011-12.
The Government awarded, without competition, £16.6 billion worth of early contracts to eight renewable generation projects at risk of investment delay.
The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a planned project to build a large sewer running under the River Thames. It is the Government’s preferred solution to the problem of spills from London’s sewers into the tidal part of the Thames. In response to correspondence, we explain the roles of the different parties, identify potential risks to value for money and set out what we expect good project management to look like. To avoid influencing the outcome of ongoing competitions for the construction and financing of the project, we do not evaluate the value for money of the project and the issues raised do not imply any audit judgement about its performance.
Large-scale infrastructure spending by the private sector over ten years or more will increase consumer utility bills but government and regulators do not know by how much or whether the bills will be affordable.
There are major risks the Department of Energy and Climate Change must address to achieve value for money from its £11.3 billion national programme to install ‘smart’ electricity and gas meters in all homes and smaller non-domestic premises in Great Britain from 2014 to 2019.
The horsemeat incident in January 2013 exposed weaknesses in control in the food supply chain.
All three projects examined by the NAO have experienced significant delays stemming from a range of problems.
Giving greater responsibility and discretion to local authorities to identify flood risk and target investment raises significant challenges, especially during a time of budget cuts and other newly devolved responsibilities. Greater value for money can be achieved through these reforms, but key elements of what is required are not yet in place.
This Departmental Overview is one of 17 we have produced covering our work on each major government department. It summarises our work on the Department for Energy and Climate Change during 2010-2011.
Despite the fact that the Defra has made improvements in its financial management, the NAO cannot yet conclude that the Department is achieving value for money in its financial management activity.
Defra should continue to fund the Agency to complete this programme to improve the management of animal disease and secure the full benefits of the new ICT.
The NAO has published its report on the 2010-11 accounts of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The NAO has published its report on the 2010-11 accounts of the Rural payments Agency.