§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what criteria he adopts in determining whether(a) to monitor and (b) to research the effects of changing departmental policies. [43354]
§ Dr. Whitehead[holding answer 14 March 2002]: Almost all policy development work will involve elements of appraising the evidence base, assessing the likely impact and evaluating the outcome. The Department also has in place a formal programme of policy evaluation, focusing on areas where:
the achievement of objectives may entail significant costs;the objectives are of particular importance to the Department;the scientific and technical basis is uncertain or shifting rapidly, and the risks involved are perceived to be substantial.Individual projects are brought together in a five-year rolling programme which will meet the Department's service delivery agreement (SDA) target to deliver a programme of policy evaluation covering all the Department's major policies by March 2004.
The Department will also play a full role in meeting the Government's manifesto commitment to review the working and impact of major pieces of regulation within three years of implementation.