§ Mr. CoakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the forthcoming financial management and policy review of Groundwork. [65312]
§ Mr. MealeAs part of the Government's programme of regular five-yearly financial, management and policy reviews of non-departmental public bodies, my Department will conduct a thorough review of Groundwork beginning on Tuesday 12 January. The first stage of the review will take the form of a "prior options" study. This will assess the extent to which Groundwork's functions are necessary for the achievement of the Department's policies, and whether there is scope for changing the relationship between the Department and Groundwork to reflect more appropriately the Department's policies for promoting environmental regeneration.
The progress made by Groundwork since the previous review in 1994 will be examined and the results of that examination and of the prior options study will inform a detailed review of the possible mechanisms for funding Groundwork's outputs and, if appropriate, Groundwork's policy and financial management systems.
In carrying out the study, my Department will consult widely with those organisations with an interest in Groundwork's activities. I aim to ensure that any uncertainty caused by the review is kept to a minimum and I therefore expect the FMPR Advisory Group to report by early summer 1999.