§ Mr. Timothy Smithasked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the promotion of managerial skills in the Civil Service; if she will arrange for the management information system for Ministers (MINIS) to be introduced in all Government Departments; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterNot quite. Good progress is being made and much of the work of the Management and Personnel Office is directed to this end. More emphasis is being put on managerial skills in selection for promotion, in training, and in succession planning arrangements for key posts. MINIS has been very successful in the Department of the Environment and the Property Services Agency, and each Department should have a system that suits its functions. In addition, we have initiated a specific programme to improve financial management in Departments.