SUMMARY: Ken Livingstone's solar panels for City Hall are nearly ready to switch on. They cost something over half a million pounds, and could reasonably be expected to deliver around 75 MWh a year (not enough for 20 typical houses). For…

If you had a load of money you wanted to invest in a project, how would you go about ensuring that you made as much return for as little risk as possible?  Chances are you'd seek some sort of professional advice.  Now suppose that someone…

Government The government has awarded more than £1m to fund seven projects, described yesterday as having the potential to make a "significant" difference to the environment. They will receive the money from the Carbon Trust, an independent…

Government   The schools secretary has hailed rising exam results but said the rate must now be increased. Writing in the Times Educational Supplement on Friday, Ed Balls said a recent slowdown in improvements among 11 and 14-year-olds must…

Following my report of predictions of floods for London and a worse-than-average hurricane season, there has been some refinement in both regards. Piers has updated his forecasts for August (attached), though this has not resulted in any…

Government A battle has broken out within the Department of Health and much of the rest of the National Health Service over whether the new health and social care regulator should assess the quality of commissioning undertaken by primary…

**Government  ** Health Secretary Alan Johnson today endorsed the offer of an improved pay package worth £52 million which will see enhanced pay and training opportunities for NHS staff but which keeps this year's pay increases in line with…

This isn't the most critically important story I've ever posted about, but it does demonstrate the knee-jerk mindset of our legislators and government agencies.  It is reported today in the times that Animal Health, the agency responsible…

So, depending on who you believe - yesterday's changeover at the NHS was either a smooth transition with no problems whatsoever or it was a complete shambles.  My cynical money is on the shambles.  Fortunately, I was not hit by a car nor…

Two government bodies - Ofgem (the electricity and gas regulator) and the Energy Savings Trust (EST) - are consulting simultaneously on what to do about green electricity tariffs, those electricity-supply deals, like NPower Juice or…

As hospitals wake up to the change over of 30,000 young doctors today, one hospital in particular will be welcoming back a Raj Mattu after five years.  The significance of this?  Well Mr Mattu has been serving a five year suspension from…

Government Growing concern about the role of the private sector in public services reform was raised by the CBI on Tuesday after comments by the new work and pensions secretary in an FT interview. Peter Hain said that big prime contracts…