Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 20
20
The Department’s previous energy efficiency schemes for private housing have operated in different ways, and...
Conclusion
The Department’s previous energy efficiency schemes for private housing have operated in different ways, and for varying timescales, and this fragmented, stop-go activity has hindered long term stable progress towards Government’s energy efficiency ambitions. In evidence to us industry associations argued the case for a stable, long-term plan for decarbonising the UK’s domestic buildings.57 In our evidence session on Achieving Net Zero the Department referred to its new Heat and Buildings Strategy, alongside the Net Zero Strategy, which sets out its plans, including spending intentions, and the longer- term regulatory path for the building retrofit sector.58 The strategy is intended to provide a stable long-term policy landscape for consumers and industry to engage with.59 53 Q105 54 Q164–167 55 Qq 29, 52, 158 56 Environmental Audit Committee, Oral Evidence: Mapping the Path to Net Zero, HC 497, 22 September 2021, Qq 170, 189 57 MCS Certified and MCS Foundation, page 8–9, Federation of Master Builders, page 3–5, Mineral Wool Insulation Manufacturers Association, page 2–4 58 Committee of Public Accounts, Oral Evidence: Achieving Net Zero: Follow Up, HC 642, 25 October 2021, Qq 53, 55 59 Qq 74, 77, 93, 127 Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme 15 2 Scheme Implementation Unrealistic implementation timescales
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 6.2 The pace of delivery and magnitude of investment meant that GHGv was a challenging scheme to deliver from the outset, the scale of which was amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. 6.3 Lessons learnt from this scheme provide valuable insight into the challenges similar schemes face and will be used by senior officials when designing and planning future projects. 6.4 The department has a repository to facilitate lessons sharing between projects. In business cases, teams need to explain which projects they have engaged with prior to PIC review and approval. PIC challenges projects that have not mitigated previous failures sufficiently and tasks them with addressing this. 6.5 Other lessons and initiatives include: • an independent evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the GHGv scheme, due for publication in Autumn 2023, will be shared across energy efficiency schemes. • Briefings and presentations on lessons learned to relevant teams in the department including the PIC, the Performance and Risk Committee, and the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, the Heat and Buildings Portfolio Board and the Delivery Transformation Board, • cross Whitehall briefings and lesson cascades in Winter 2021, involving around 100 representatives from HM Treasury, No 10 Downing Street, DEFRA and BEIS colleagues, and • a new programme to transform the department’s delivery capability ensuring both effective delivery of major projects and that priority outcomes and project metrics are met. It focuses on upskilling the department’s delivery knowledge and ability, considering lessons as part of project initiation and design.