Memorandum submitted by the Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra Priorities 02)
WRITTEN ANSWERS
TO COMMITTEE
QUESTIONS
Q120/121—are these (the properties targeted
for disposal) long leasehold or freehold properties? Which is
Guildford?
The Department expects to dispose of approximately
103 properties between now and the end of the CSR period in 2010-11.
Of these, 29 are short leasehold, and 74 are freehold. No long
leasehold properties are currently expected to become surplus.
Guildford is a freehold site.
Q122—how will the Department assure itself
that the disposal of Guildford will be at best value and best
time relative to the property market?
Defra's Estates Strategy has twin objectives
of improving value for money and the sustainability through the
disposal of surplus property, increasing space utilisation rates
and investment in improving the energy and water efficiency of
our buildings.
In the current Spending Review since April 2004,
period Defra has:
— secured £25.25 million
in disposal receipts;
— saved £9.3 million in running
costs; and
— reduced the size of its estate
by 16% from 382,250 sqm to 320,750 sqm.
Disposals and investment decisions are supported
by business cases. Significant disposals or investments are subject
to approval by the Management Board. This procedure was followed
for the Guildford site for which the business case was approved
on 16 November 2006. Until a negotiated sale is completed, it
would not make commercial sense to put the details of the business
case into the public domain.
Q126/127—can Capital receipts be offset
against the Administration Budget?
Receipts from the sale of capital assets cannot
be offset against the Administration Budget or the Programme Budget.
Capital receipts that are properly approved by HM Treasury (such
as via the Comprehensive Spending Review) can be used to support
additional capital expenditure only. If HM Treasury do not approve
the recycling of the receipts, they would be transferred directly
to the Consolidated Fund.
Q178/179—"Sun-setting" Programmes
Examples of programmes that are coming to a
natural end include the Agriculture Development Scheme (2007-08
budget: £3.4 million). Ministers announced in May 2007 that
the scheme would be closed to new applicants as it was always
intended to be a temporary arrangement. Expenditure will therefore
tail off to £500k by 2010-11. The Regional Food Scheme (2007-08
budget: £1 million) provides support for quality regional
food and is in its final year of operation.
There are also a large number of Defra programmes
that undergo periodic review as part of policy development and
routine assessment of their efficiency and effectiveness. This
may often result in a change of direction for the programme and
an opportunity to examine the planned spending profile.
Q193—Green Homes
The new Green Homes Service will be a one-stop
contact point provided by the Energy Saving Trust. Over the next
12 months the Trust will roll out a nationwide network of regional
centres, offering consumers a range of free and impartial advice
and independent services. This will include testing a new approach,
starting with a face to face household and lifestyle audit and
personalised action plan, through to project management of the
actual installation of energy efficiency and renewables technologies,
and a range of financial support options.
BACKGROUND
Every household in the UK creates about 6 tonnes
of carbon dioxide every year. Around 40% of emissions are the
result of decisions taken directly by consumers (ie including
transport). Evidence shows that 20 million adults have little
understanding of energy costs or usage but 50% are willing to
change their habits. The challenge is that there are significant
barriers to action (apathy, poor information, high upfront costs)
and consumers need help in being hand held through a process to
cut their emissions.
Millions of pounds worth of support from Government
initiatives is directed at householders, including the Carbon
Emissions Reduction Target, Warm Front, the Low Carbon Buildings
Programme and the Community Energy Efficiency Fund. The new Green
Homes service will effectively draw on all of this.
The Green Homes Service will include the roll
out of the EST's Sustainable Energy Network of regional centres
which will provide advice not only on energy efficiency but also
on microgeneration, water efficiency, recycling and greener travel,
and provide easy access to an energy audit and facilitate access
to the full range of discounted and free offers available. Low
income and vulnerable customers will continue to get particular
help.
The service will be backed by:
— energy performance certificates,
which will be rolled out to all households from 14 December;
— as well as increased levels
of activity by energy suppliers under the forthcoming Carbon Emissions
Reduction Target.
As part of the Green Homes Service, the Energy
Saving Trust will be piloting a new approach, starting with a
face to face household and lifestyle audit and personalised action
plan, through to project management of the actual installation
of energy efficiency and renewables technologies, and a range
of financial support options.
The Green Homes Service will be provided by
the EST who enables millions of people every year to take energy
saving actions via its free advice service which has been established
for some 15 years. Since EST was established, it has funded, or
influenced the installation of, sustainable energy saving measures
which, over their lifetime, will lead to savings of around 20
million tonnes of carbon (nearly 75 mill tonnes of CO2). They
are independent and trusted experts.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
December 2007
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