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.
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.
The Government awarded, without competition, £16.6 billion worth of early contracts to eight renewable generation projects at risk of investment delay.
The number of heat pump installations by December 2023 was less than half of planned projections; uncertainty regarding the role of hydrogen in home heating is hampering investment and effective planning.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The National Audit Office has prepared this briefing on environmental protection for the new members of the Environmental Audit Committee
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 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs during 2010-2011.
Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 covering the period 2008-2011
Review of the data systems for Public Service Agreement 28 led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: ‘Secure a healthy environment for today and the future’
Sustainable development is a devolved issue and this briefing covers government policy in England with a brief overview of the work of the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Defra needs good cost information to scrutinise and challenge its arm’s length bodies, so that it can reduce costs with minimal disruption to frontline services.
Reported fraud in Employment Programmes is low despite past flaws such as in the New Deal. New improvement controls are better, yet risks remain.