General Reports and Other Publications

Ofgem: Affordability remains the key barrier to preventing householders from making changes to their behaviour to save energy despite high expectations that the environment is to figure strongly in the future of energy.  This was a key finding from discussions with Ofgem’s recently formed Consumer First Panel – a group of about 100 domestic energy users recruited from across Great Britain to help inform Ofgem’s policy decisions.
 
Most of the panel members found it hard to imagine themselves making large changes such as taking on domestic-scale electricity generation without significant support from the Government, even though most expected that ‘how we do things’ in energy will change.

The discussions were based around Ofgem’s Long Term Electricity Networks Scenarios which look at possibilities for the power industry out to 2050, ranging from proliferation of kitchen cupboard generators to a nuclear-dominated industry.
Press release ~ Ofgem Consumer First Panel ‘The Future Consumer’ ~ Ofgem Consumer First Panel ~ Ofgem’s Long Term Electricity Networks Scenarios ~ Corporate Strategy for 2009 – 2014
 
WO: Secretary of State for Wales Paul Murphy launched the Government’s new Real Help for Wales document at the 5th All-Wales Economic Summit at Swansea last week, which brought together business leaders and representatives of key sectors at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium to review progress on tackling the recession.
Press release ~ Real Help for Wales ~ Weathering the Storm Dates ~ WAG – Leading Wales out of the recession ~ Support when you need it ~ Redundancy Action Scheme (ReAct)
 
Ofsted: An independent survey of teachers’ views on Ofsted’s inspections of schools has found that almost 90% of teachers think that inspection helps their schools set new priorities for the future.  84% think it is important that their lessons are observed by inspectors.
Press release ~ NFER Teacher Voice Omnibus report ~ National Foundation for Educational Research
Spotlight on women at Serco – Anita’s story