§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of the services of her Department have not been reviewed under the Better Quality Services Initiative; and when they will be reviewed. [50322]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Better Quality Services (BQS) programme was launched in 1998 and adopted by the Cabinet Office in the Modernising Government White382W Paper of 1999 as a means of delivering continuous improvements in the quality and effectiveness of Government activities and services. It requires all Government Departments to review every activity and service over a five year period starting in October 1999. The scheme covers all activities in Departments, agencies and executive non-departmental public bodies, and is similar in remit to the Best Value programme in local government.
Following the creation of DEFRA in June 2001, we intend to launch a value for money programme that will review every major function in the Department at least once every five years.
Two major BQS reviews, of the DEFRA Estate and Personnel, are scheduled to take place during the current financial year.