§ Baroness Gardner of Parkesasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a decision has yet been made on the future of the Financial Management Unit.
The Earl of GowrieThe Financial Management Unit completes its final term at the end of this year. Its valuable work in helping departments to improve financial management will be carried forward by a small group which is being established in the Treasury and Cabinet Office in January. The primary function of this group will be to assist the top management of the two departments to provide effective leadership in carrying through the programme of management reform in the Civil Service designed to secure better value for money. The setting up of the new group is in line with the recommendations of the report by the Efficiency Unit on Consultancy, Inspection and Review Services published on 4th December, and one of its early tasks will be to stimulate and monitor progress in implementing that report.