I have today laid before Parliament, pursuant to Section 86 of the Climate Change Act 2008, the “State of the Estate in 2016-17”. This annual report describes the efficiency and sustainability of the Government’s Civil Estate and records the progress that Government have made during the financial year 2016-17. Since 2010 we have delivered savings of over one billion pounds in annual operating costs and a 25% reduction in the size of the estate (2.8 million square metres). We have also made significant progress on other key areas including achieving a 33% reduction in emissions by the end of 2016-17, which exceeds the 2020 target of 32%.
Looking ahead, our aim is to ensure that our estate not only delivers value for the taxpayer but also acts as an enabler to the delivery of the Government’s wider commitments—from releasing surplus Government land to building new homes, to delivering public services that are more accessible and responsive to citizens’ needs and to ensure our estate showcases best practice in mobile technology and workplace design.
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