§ 1. Mr. John Healey (Wentworth)If he will make a statement on progress towards meeting the target of making 25 per cent. of government services available on-line by 2001. [68643]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr. Peter Kilfoyle)We intend to publish information about departmental performance every six months, beginning in May 1999. Last year, we set a target for 25 per cent. of services to be electronically deliverable by 2002.
§ Mr. HealeyI thank my hon. Friend for that answer and the encouraging news of future publication of departmental performance. Does he acknowledge that many services that people use are delivered by local government and local national health service facilities, rather than directly by central Government agencies? What targets have he and his ministerial colleagues agreed on the contribution that local government and the NHS can make to the achievement of on-line Government services?
§ Mr. KilfoyleWe are looking at targets at the moment. The next list will not be available until May, although we recognise in our target expectation that the vast majority of services are provided not by central Government agencies, but by local authorities and the NHS. The strategy for dealing with those will be published in the spring in the White Paper on better government.