ARRANGEMENTS RELATING TO ECONOMY, EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS (Hansard, 21 November 2000)

§ Mr. Ingram
I beg to move, That this House agrees with the Lords in the said amendment.

§ Madam Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Sylvia Heal)
With this it will be convenient to discuss Lords amendments Nos. 30 to 56.

§ Mr. Ingram
This large group of amendments makes fundamental changes to the efficiency or best value provisions in part V of the Bill. The changes give the board primacy for securing continuous improvement in the way in which board and police functions are exercised with regard to efficiency, effectiveness and economy. They give the board the lead in reviewing board and police functions. In respect of the police, the board is obliged to involve the Chief Constable in its deliberations.
The amendments confine the Secretary of State's role to one of default-exercisable only on receipt of an adverse report from the Comptroller and Auditor—General or Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary.
These provisions were debated thoroughly and constructively in the other place and the Government believe that they now strike the right balance. We are grateful for the wide range of positive contributions made in the other place, which undoubtedly aided the Government to meet their commitment—made in this House—to place the board at the heart of the efficiency measures.
I commend the amendments to the House.

Mr. Őpik
Best value is important; the issue was raised by my colleagues in another place—and by my right hon. and hon. Friends in this place—at various stages of the Bill's progress. We thank Ministers for listening to the representations made by us and others on the matter. My colleague, Baroness Harris of Richmond, welcomed the amendment after the Government had listened to her concerns and to those that we had expressed in this place and on Second Reading in the Lords.
The setting of performance targets is clearly an integral part of the police planning process—indeed, it is a vital tool. The achievement of best value must be the product of close partnership between the board and the Chief Constable. We are grateful to the Government for realising that.
As was pointed out in another place, the amendments seem to be one of the more significant changes made by the Government. They have unquestionably improved the Bill.