Title

MPs will investigate Whitehall's struggle to meet ‘easy' targets to reduce the environmental impact of Civil Service work. The Commons' environmental audit committee (EAC) announced on 31 March an investigation into why some Whitehall departments failed to make significant progress against long-term carbon-emission targets prior to spring 2008. MPs will also review Cabinet Office minister, Tom Watson's attempts to boost performance since. MPs will also investigate whether Whitehall's self-imposed targets are tough enough, amid claims that the UK Government has set more difficult environmental targets for local government and the general public. A committee source told The MJ that ministerial and mandarin performance would be ‘laid bare', with ‘laggard departments asked to account for areas of under-performance'. The committee, chaired by Conservative MP, Tim Yeo, has taken action after the Sustainable Development Commission last year suggested central government could miss its key target to reduce Whitehall's carbon emissions by 12.5% by 2010. An SDC review of Whitehall's performance found that progress had been made against targets for waste, water use and travel. But it exposed problems with targets to reduce carbon emissions at departments such as the Ministry of Defence. Critics accused the MoD of using accounting tricks to meet its target after privatising a research arm – Qinetiq – that emitted high levels of C02. The move wiped significant MoD emissions from the public books, but critics said it did little to change Civil Service behaviour. Following the study, Cabinet Office officials launched initiatives designed to put Whitehall back on course to meet environmental targets, including the creation of the Centre for Excellence in Sustainable Procurement within the Office of Government Commerce. A committee statement on the new investigation states: ‘This inquiry will examine the effectiveness of these new governance structures and the role they will play in improving departmental performance.

Title

WHITEHALL

MPs launch probe into green target 'failures'

SUBSCRIBE TO CONTINUE READING