§ 21. Mr. Thurnhamasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report 557W progress in devising output measures for political and economic reporting, and in delegating control of resources to individual cost centres.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe possible application of output measurement to the work of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is under consideration, though there are particular difficulties in respect of political and economic reporting. Substantial progress has already been made in delegating control of costs, for example, to individual overseas posts, and we are examining the scope of further action in this area. I will write to my hon. Friend with further details.