Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Considering these difficulties, it comes as no surprise that industry criticised the design of the...
Conclusion
Considering these difficulties, it comes as no surprise that industry criticised the design of the Scheme, and recommended greater consultation for future ones.41 The Department stated that whilst it did engage with industry before the Scheme’s launch, it was limited in what it was able to do until the formal fiscal announcement was made on 8 July.42 After this point, the Department had limited time until the Scheme’s launch 32 Q86 33 Mineral Wool Insulation Manufacturers Association, page 1 34 Mineral Wool Insulation Manufacturers Association, page 2 35 Qq 69–70 36 Q69, Federation of Master Builders, page 2 37 Qq 65–69 38 Q66, Q69–70 39 Federation of Master Builders, page 2, E3G, page 4 40 C&AG’s report, para 7 41 Federation of Master Builders, page 1, Mineral Wool Insulation Manufacturers Association, page 1, Solar Energy UK, page 4, MCS Certified and MCS Foundation page 8 42 Q83 Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme 13 at the end of September to fully engage with industry.43 However, it is unclear why the Department, which would presumably be in regular contact with industry anyway, was so lacking in an awareness of the complexities of the industry, and its actual capability to scale up over a short period.44 This is also despite previous recommendations from this Committee to ensure that policy decisions are thoroughly tested and based on accurate evidence that includes a robust evaluation of stakeholders’ views.45
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
3.2 The department recognises the impact that the shortened timescale had on officials’ ability to meaningfully engage with consumers and installers, and that the scheme administrator’s digital delivery complicated these processes. 3.3 The pace of the GHGv scheme delivery led to some policy design decisions that added complexity to the user experience. However, key elements of the scheme design were informed by important learnings from previous schemes, including the prioritisation of robust quality assurance and customer protection. 3.4 This necessarily drove the quality standard requirements for tradespeople to be registered with TrustMark and have the relevant trade certifications, in line with the recommendations set out in the 2016 Each Home Counts (EHC) review. The department remains committed to implementing the outcomes of the EHC review and the importance of high standards in retrofit, including the transition to the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2030/2035:2019, which represent an industry-wide approach to ensuring quality home retrofit and consumer protection. 3.5 Nevertheless, it is recognised that policy implementation can be improved. For each proposed policy development, the department aims to undertake robust public consultation to gather views of potentially affected stakeholders and seek feedback from consumers on the effectiveness of policy implementation. 3.6 All policy development is underpinned by the Policy Profession Standards, which defines the skills and knowledge required from all UK Civil Servants involved in policy work. Lessons learned from the GHGv scheme are being shared across the department and will inform the development of future schemes.