This briefing, prepared for the Environmental Audit Committee, provides an update on the quality of sustainability reporting by central government departments. It includes a review of current and planned requirements.
Electricity cannot be stored economically in large quantities, and electricity supply and demand throughout the UK must therefore be balanced on a second by second basis. As System Operator, National Grid is responsible for doing this, and it uses a variety of mechanisms which are collectively known as Balancing Services.
Insights we have drawn from exploratory analysis of data used by the Environment Agency as part of its regulation of storm overflows.
This Departmental Overview is one of 17 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 2013-14.
The Department has committed electricity consumers and taxpayers to a high cost and risky deal in a changing energy marketplace. We cannot say the Department has maximised the chances that it will achieve value for money.
Defra’s 2013-14 accounts have not been qualified but the C&AG warns of the likelihood of the European Commission’s imposing significant financial penalties on the department in future.
The economic case for the smart metering programme remains positive but there are significant risks and challenges to successful implementation, which must be managed.
The Environment Agency has improved the cost effectiveness and prioritization of its flood risk spending but current spending is insufficient to meet many flood defence maintenance needs.
Review of a sample of the data systems underpinning the input and impact indicators in the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s Business Plan, Common Areas of Spend and wider management information.
This review was carried out on the 2012-15 Business Plan. Revised Business Plans were issued in June 2013.
This Departmental Overview is one of 17 we have produced covering our work on each major government department. It summarises our work on the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority during 2012-2013.
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 of Energy & Climate Change 2012-13.
The Levy Control Framework is a valuable tool for supporting control of costs to consumers arising from government energy policies, but it has not been fully effective in key areas.
This briefing on the NHS and sustainability in England has been prepared for the Environmental Audit Committee. It focuses on identifying potential good practice, opportunities and challenges and draws on the NAO’s good practice criteria.
This briefing responds to a request from the Environmental Audit Committee to review sustainability at the Home Office. It follows a similar format to our report on sustainability at the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and thus covers all aspects of the Department’s activities: governance, policy, operations and procurement.
This report highlights the key financial results that the C&AG judges to be important to the interpretation of the audited financial statements with respect to the underlying activities and timescales involved.
The NAO has today published an update for the Public Accounts Committee, detailing developments in the management of the Sellafield site, the UK’s largest and most hazardous nuclear site, and the extent to which progress has been made in decommissioning and cleaning it up.
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 of Energy and Climate Change during 2011-12.
There are significant uncertainties in plans for cleaning-up Sellafield. The Authority is working to understand and address project under-performance.
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 & Rural Affairs 2012-13