HL Deb 20 December 1982 vol 437 cc916-7WA
Lord Campbell of Alloway

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What programme of central efficiency work in the Civil Service will be carried out in 1983.

The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Young)

During 1983 the Government will continue the drive for better management set out inEfficiency and Effectiveness in the Civil Service (Cmnd. 8616). The work will involve practical action on the plans for financial management which departments are developing. The Government will publish a central report on these by July. Work will be undertaken to secure the full implementation of the results of existing scrutinies and reviews.

In addition to the above and to the work which departments undertake on their own initiative, there will be a new programme of centrally co-ordinated exercises aimed at further improvements in efficiency and management. This will consist of three elements.

First, there will be up to 30 departmental scrutinies. These are intended to cover areas and operations which use substantial resources or are significant in terms of the activities or character of the department concerned. Each scrutiny will report to the departmental Minister concerned and the programme will be co-ordinated by the Rayner Unit in the Management and Personnel Office.

Secondly, there will be three multi-department reviews of subjects of wide significance across the Civil Service:

  1. (1) "Support Services for Administration Work", which will examine the efficiency and effectiveness of the internal handling of information which supports decision making.
  2. (2) "Procurement and contract procedures", which will examine the efficiency and effectiveness of these procedures from the drawing up of the specification to the acceptance and final payment of the delivered product or service.
  3. (3) "Consultancy Inspection and Review Capabilities", which will examine the quality of the arrangements available to Ministers and top managers to encourage and check on the efficiency and effectiveness of line management.

These reviews will begin in early spring, early summer and late summer respectively. Each will consist of about six departmental studies. For each a central team located in the Management and Personnel Office will co-ordinate and report on the service-wide implications of the results.

Thirdly, the programme of effectiveness reviews of common activities will continue. These aim to produce specific improvements in efficiency and management guidelines for the better use of resources. They will be carried out jointly by the Management and Personnel Office and departmental staff and will cover reprographics, micrographics, authorising levels, stocktaking, productivity schemes and the use made of accommodation.

I am arranging for a copy of a working paper describing this programme in more detail to be placed in the Library.