§ Mr. Eggarasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list and describe the studies from within or without his Department relating to the effectiveness and efficiency of his Department together with the recommendations and action taken on those recommendations.
§ Mr. ButcherManagement studies in my Department constitute a continuing programme of initiatives to improve its effectiveness and efficiency, with particular regard to the quality of administration; the financial management of both programme and administrative expenditure; and the manpower and other resources necessary for these purposes. Much of this work is highly relevant to the Government's financial management initiative. These aims are pursued by studies of several kinds—departmental and broader centrally co-ordinated Rayner scrutinies and efficiency exercises; on-going internal programmes of management services studies, some conducted on Rayner principles; staff inspections and audit reviews; studies on the Department's need for management information systems; automation by computerisation and new office technology; studies on the feasibility of responsibility cost centres; where advantageous, the use of consultants; and other continuing work to define objectives and explore how best they can be achieved. The resulting specific recommendations are too numerous for these, and the action taken to implement them, to be listed without disproportionate cost.