The National Audit Office (NAO) is warning of serious weaknesses which are currently limiting the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs’ ability to make evidence-based decisions about where to deploy its resources, and to understand wider impacts of its regulatory approach.

The National Audit Office is warning that there are serious weaknesses in central government’s approach to working with local authorities on decarbonisation, stemming from a lack of clarity over local authorities’ overall roles, piecemeal funding, and diffuse accountabilities.

The National Audit Office is warning that achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions in the UK is a colossal challenge and government will need to spearhead a concerted national effort if it is to reach its goal by 2050.

A new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) finds that while the government is on track to achieve its target for better protecting 300,000 more homes from flooding by March 2021, it does not have a comprehensive measure of its progress in reducing the overall level of flood risk across England.

The National Audit Office has raised wide-ranging concerns warning that without clear plans and goals, the Government risks failing to achieve its 25 year environmental targets set out in its 25 year plan.

The National Audit Office has launched a new inquiry to examine whether systems and incentives in the regulated industries sufficiently and cost-effectively protect vulnerable consumers.

The National Audit Office, the government’s spending watchdog, has launched an investigation into the assurance arrangements for the £4.2 billion Thames Tideway Tunnel – the NAO will publish its report in the autumn.

Ofwat has said it will “carefully consider the thoughts of the PAC”, following publication of the House Of Commons Public Accounts Committee report which said over-estimating by the water regulator had led to the water companies making at least £1.2 billion in windfall gains over the last five years.