The new public expenditure regime
DEPARTMENTAL AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
39. In June 1998 the Committee drew attention
to the fact that only 10 out of 18 government departments had
identified a commitment to sustainable development in their overall
aims and objectives in their annual reports.[56]
The Committee was therefore disappointed to see that there had
been little progress on this in the revised aims and objectives
of departments which were published alongside the Comprehensive
Spending Review report in July 1998. Nongovernment organisations
also identified continued shortcomings — stressing the importance
of departments having environmental objectives and objectives
in relation to bio-diversity where appropriate.[57]
40. In November 1998 in its response to the Committee
the Government said that Green Ministers would consider and report
to the Cabinet Committee, ENV, on how far sustainable development
should be incorporated into the remit of existing departments
and non-departmental public bodies.[58]
The Committee was pleased to see that in the subsequent Public
Service Agreements, published in December 1998, there was an improvement
in the adoption by Departments of aims and objectives which made
explicit reference to sustainable development. In particular,
the Department for Trade and Industry has now said that in pursuit
of their objectives they will promote sustainable development
and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have referred
to their responsibilities in relation to the built environment
and the contribution their input to urban and rural regeneration
makes to sustainability.[59]
However, the Committee notes that there are still seven of the
main departments whose aims and objectives, as set out in the
Public Service Agreements, make no explicit reference to sustainable
development: the Ministry of Defence, the Department for Education
and Employment, the Department of Health, the Home Office, the
Lord Chancellor's Department, the Department for Social Security
and the Cabinet Office (see Figure 1 below). In addition,
there remains a confusing array of terms used to refer to the
issue in departments' aims and objectives.
41. The revision to aims and objectives in the Public
Service Agreements represents the third opportunity this Government
has had to ensure that departmental objectives reflect its overarching
commitment to sustainable development. It is not clear to us whether
the Agreements now represent this Government's final statement
on the matter or whether the Cabinet Committee ENV is still looking
at aims and objectives, as promised by the Government. The
Committee urges the Government to persist until all departments
explicitly adopt the Government's policy on sustainable development
in their aims and objectives.
56 Environmental Audit Committee Second Report 1998
- 99, HC517 Back
57
Ev pp 38, 56 &57 Back
58
The Government's Response to the Environmental Audit Committee's
report on the Greening Government Initiative Cm 4108, paragraph
20 Back
59
Op.Cit. pp 86 & 107 Back
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