Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Although the Department has set out its high-level vision for ELM through six ‘outcomes’ set...
Conclusion
Although the Department has set out its high-level vision for ELM through six ‘outcomes’ set out in the 25-Year Environment Plan, it has not yet defined the specific objectives that it will be using to measure ELM’s success against this vision. HM Treasury’s Green Book highlights the importance of having up to five or six SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-limited) objectives for all programmes. The Department’s outline business case for the Programme sets out 24 SMART objectives, but that these are described as provisional and indicative, and the estimated cost of delivering them in full is significantly above the annual budget for ELM. Clear objectives are needed for effective appraisal, planning, monitoring and evaluation.67 The National Farmers’ Union similarly highlighted the importance of having clear objectives in designing the scheme. It explained that they were necessary to set the parameters for scheme design and that it had seen various standards within SFI being reworked multiple times due to key decisions not having been made.68
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
2: PAC conclusion: The Department has not established the metrics that it will need to determine whether ELM is contributing towards the government’s environmental goals. 2: PAC recommendation: The Department should develop clear metrics, and establish robust baseline measures, to allow it to assess the operational effectiveness of ELM and ensure these are published before the start of roll-out in 2022. It should report against these metrics annually to enable Parliament and the public to determine what progress it is making towards meeting the objectives set out in the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: January 2023 2.2 The government agrees with the Committee that it is important to have clear metrics for the reform programme and to publish progress updates about the operational effectiveness of schemes regularly. 2.3 The government has, since the Committee’s investigation in October 2021, published more information about its key aims for the schemes. 2.4 These interventions will support the long-term environmental targets that are being developed under the Environment Act 2021 and will be consulted upon soon. 2.5 The government will report annually on the delivery of targets within its statutory Environmental Improvement Plan, as required under the Act. This will include metrics about the performance and contribution of Environmental Land schemes.