HC Deb 04 June 1997 vol 295 cc378-9
4. Mr. Bayley

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement about the future of citizens charters. [522]

Mr. Kilfoyle

My hon. Friend, like my hon. Friend the Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Mr. Quinn), represents a city that was instrumental in pioneering charters. We will be relaunching the programme as part of our drive to modernise and improve government. It will be based on the needs of the people who really count—the users of public services.

Mr. Bayley

I thank my hon. Friend for his kind remarks about the city of York inventing the idea of citizens charters. Does he agree that the citizens charter was brought into disrepute by the former Government's refusal to report annually on whether targets had been met, and by their failure to give the public decent means of redress when services fell below the necessary quality? As part of his review, will my hon. Friend take the opportunity to consult local authorities with a good track record on customer contracts and quality of service, and the public—for whose benefit the charter was originally developed?

Mr. Kilfoyle

We shall of course consult all interested parties during the charter programme review. Special emphasis will be given to the people with the greatest interest in the matter: the users of public services. We intend to hold the fullest possible consultation, including organisations that have a particular interest in delivering the best possible services to the people of this country.

Mr. Rowe

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that a significant number of public services in Kent have achieved a charter mark for excellence and that, far from what the hon. Member for City of York (Mr. Bayley) said, the Conservative Government deserve the highest congratulations on having introduced this extremely efficient way of meeting consumer expectations? Will the Minister give a solemn undertaking that charters will be developed in a way that will enhance services, just as they have so effectively done hitherto?

Mr. Kilfoyle

We fully intend to reinforce and extend the use of the charter mark. There are at the moment 645 proud possessors of the charter mark—it is not easy to obtain—which shows that those organisations have achieved very high standards.

There is a great deal of suspicion that the previous Government were more concerned with subterfuge than this Government intend to be. We will be open, we will consult and we will develop the charter mark. I hope that many more organisations in the public domain will apply for a charter mark in future.

Mr. Barry Jones

Will my hon. Friend give an example of an improved service in local government?

Mr. Kilfoyle

There are many examples of improved services in local government, including some in the much maligned city of Liverpool—my home city. My hon. Friend will find that organisations as diverse as ambulance and hospital services have applied for—and successfully gained—a charter mark, reflecting the very high level of service they provide and their commitment to their customers.

Rev. Martin Smyth

I welcome the assurance that the charter mark will be kept. However, having seen it in operation in my constituency—I congratulate two of the hospitals in my constituency that achieved it—will there be a guarantee that standards will be maintained and that pressures of finance will not militate against them?

Mr. Kilfoyle

We will aggressively insist on maintaining the very highest standards. The charter mark, remember, is not for ever. Anybody who fails to meet the standards will have their charter mark taken away.