§ Mr. Charles Morrisonasked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement about the organisation of services provided to Government Departments.
§ The Prime Minister:The Government have reviewed these services. They have decided to establish a Property Services Agency, forming an integral part of the Department of the Environment, for the provision to other Government Departments of property management services, building construction and maintenance, and the appropriate supplies. The inclusion of the agency within the Department will ensure that the Government's practice as a builder and developer will remain in accord with its policies for the conservation and improvement of the environment.
A chief executive has been appointed who will be responsible to the Secretary of State for the Environment and will be the accounting officer for the agency. The agency will commence operations on 1st September, 1972, though the detailed organisation will take time to work out. It is intended that wherever possible units of accountable management will be introduced.
Special attention will be paid within the Department to career planning and staff management.
Government property management will be concentrated as far as practicable so as to ensure that land and buildings are put to best use. The defence lands organisation of the Ministry of Defence will be incorporated in the agency. There will be a systematic valuation of the Government estate, wherever this will contribute to improved property management.
I welcome this opportunity to pay tribute to the valuable studies undertaken by Mr. H. J. Cruickshank and Mr. T. A. D. Sainsbury, of the group of businessmen attached to the Civil Service Department, in the areas of construction and property management respectively.
Her Majesty's Stationery Office remains a separate Department, and will continue 218W to undertake printing, publishing and marketing of Government publications and the supply to Government Departments of office machinery, stationery and other office equipment. The controller, who is already the accounting officer, will be responsible for developing the application of accountable management to his organisation, and the introduction of systems appropriate to a trading organisation.
H.M. Stationery Office and the Central Office of Information are currently responsible to Treasury Ministers. The Civil Service Department now has responsibility for the efficiency of the Government machine and the management of the Civil Service, and the Government have decided that ministerial responsibility for H.M. Stationery Office and the Central Office of Information shall in future rest with the Lord Privy Seal as Minister in day to day charge of that Department. The Civil Service Department will also take the lead in arranging for interdepartmental consideration of common services issues where this is necessary (for example, standards of provision and priorities between Departments).
The Property Services Agency and H.M. Stationery Office will keep the possibility of extending their purchases from the private sector under continuous review with the aim of securing the best value for money. There will be a presumption in favour of Departments paying for the services they receive, and it will be an early task for both managements to examine each service provided with a view to establishing an appropriate basis of charge for it. Where it is decided that charges should not be introduced, separate studies will be made of the possibility of a more precise attribution of costs to user Departments than hitherto. Staff interests will be fully consulted about the implementation of the changes.