HC Deb 08 June 1984 vol 61 cc296-9W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will indicate the nature of each of the reviews undertaken by outside consultants for the central management services division of his Department over the last five years, the date when they were completed, the main conclusions in each case, whether they have been implemented and with what results; and what reviews are currently in hand.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The following list shows the centrally recorded reviews conducted for our Department by outside consultants since June 1979, but the comprehensive information on recommendations, implementation and results cannot be provided without disproportionate cost.

Date Commissioned and Assignment Contractor
1980 A study to consider the effectiveness of DHSS forms, and to suggest improvements Social and Community Planning Research
1980 A study of the arrangements for determining staffing levels in certain areas of DHSS Newcastle Central Office The Anne Shaw Organisation
1980 Assistance with a questionnaire sent to local office managers Buller Cox and Partners
1981 Design of Budgetary Control System for DHSS Price Waterhouse Associates
1982 Development and testing of a new form Open University
1982 Staffing and equipment requirements for a forms unit E Hoch
1982 Implementation of the Budgetary Control System Price Waterhouse Associates
1982 Measures to improve morale and communication with staff The Industrial Society
1982 Review of Provident Scheme Statistics Lee Donaldson Associates
1982 Control of Expenditure in the Family Practitioner Services Binder Hamlyn
1982 Irradiation of Medical Supplies MPL Inspection Services
1983 Family Practitioner Service study on administration and use of computers Arthur Andersen
1983 Progress management for the Department's operational strategy Arthur Andersen
1983 Study of Databank for Medical Division storing medical articles H. Ashfield Associates
1983 To explore, with Inland Revenue the ways of checking deductions by employers of PAYE etc. Atkins Planning
1983 Study on losses of supplies in NHS hospital Deloitte Haskins & Sells
1983 Study of Companies in Competition with Export Foundation Harbridge House (Europe)
1983 War Pension Appeals in Dublin/Belfast A C Steenson
1983 Management information Pilot Project Bromsgrove and Redditch Price Waterhouse Associates
1983 Budgetary Control Systems to advise on administrative expenditure covering units in HQ, Central Offices and Regional Organisation Price Waterhouse Associates
1984 Management Information System Touche Ross and Co.
1984 Study on effectiveness of Departmental forms Coopers and Lybrand Associates
1984 Management Budgeting North Tees and Southmead Health Authorities Arthur Young
1984 Management Budgeting Ealing and Basingstoke Health Authorities Coopers and Lybrand Associates
1984 Review of Pharmaceutical Services Binder Hamlyn
1984 Use of Computers in the Family Practitioner Services Arthur Andersen
1984 Review Public Health Laboratory Service Board Robert Blowers
1984 Review of pricing of medical gases in the NHS Binder Hamlyn
1984 Research into forms design The Open University
1984 Wembley 'Complex' of Family Practitioner Committees Maj. Gen. R. P. Wall
1984 Social Security Audit System appraisal and internal assistance Arthur Young
(b) Other consultancies
1979 Amendment of Resource Allocation Working Party Trace (Manpower) Ltd.
1979 Second phase of a study to assist the Review of Policy for the mentally handicapped Arthur Andersen
1979 Study of the wider use of the balance of care approach Arthur Andersen
1979 Manpower implications of the run down of a large psychiatric hospital Institute of Manpower Studies
1979 Comparative study of ORS planning methodologies Logica
1979 Guidance on "Use of Manpower Information for Operational Planning" for NHS use IMS in conjunction with an NHS officer
1980 A labour market study in the Tyneside conurbation IMS
1980 A study of Nurse Manpower Systems in South West Thames RHA IMS
1980 Extensions to "Portable balance of care" study Arthur Andersen
1980 Hospitalisation rates and patient flows Arthur Young
1980 Location of social security work Logica
1980 Study of the capacity of schools of nursing—plus extension Coopers and Lybrand
1980 Local health care planning studies—balance of care IBCM Exeter University
1980 Studies in connection with cancer Research Centre for the mathematical Modelling of Clerical Trials University of Warwick
1980 Second phase of a project to design and programme a medical manpower planning model Scientific and Business Systems
1980 OR studies of hospital stores, manpower planning, and social security benefits National Coal Board Operational Research Executive
1981 Number and location of Social Security Training Courses Logica Ltd.
1981 Nursing manpower planning: linking supply and demand modelling Institute of manpower studies
1981 Consulting and modelling/sizing work, in relation to Social Security Strategy Softwear Sciences Ltd.
1981 Study of CAMELOT project—resources implementation etc. LEASCO Softwear Ltd.
1981 Advice on implementation of the Welfare Benefits Information Services Dr. G. N. Gilbert
1981 Development of User Interface for Welfare Benefits Information System Medical Research Council
1981 Assistance with Medical Manpower Planning Model SBS Ltd.
1981 Production of risk analysis model for social security value Logica Ltd.
1982 Study of possible expert systems techniques, Welfare Benefits Information Service Intelligent Terminals Ltd.
1982 Study for purpose of evaluating Welfare Benefits Information Service Research Institute for Consumer Affairs
1982 Programming and analysis assistance for ORS on Regional Reviews, Performance Indicators Control Data Ltd.
1982 Pilot study of microcomputer systems for Private Office Computer Analysts and Programmers (London) Ltd.
1982 Assistance with database design for Local Office Project BIS Applied Systems Ltd.
1982 Assistance on the use of ADABAS equipment for Newcastle Central Office ADABAS Softwear Ltd.
1982 Advice on Local Office Project systems interface design HUSAT Research Group
1982 The Liable Relatives Study Scicon
1982 Aligning pay periods for unemployment and supplementary benefits Atkins Planning
1982 Service to the public in Social Security Offices Atkins Planning
1982 Simulation of the training of Liable Relative Officers CMA Ltd.

Date Commissioned and Assignment Contractor
1982 Data Communication Computer Analysts and Programmers (London) Ltd.
1982 Liable relatives Scicon
1982 Hospital Input/Output Coopers and Lybrand Associates
1982 Specialty Costing Cybertron
1983 Terminal replacement enquiry service Arthur Andersen
1983 Local Office micro project Computer Analysis and Programmers (London) Ltd.
1983 Micro Support for Private Office Computer Analysis and Programmers (London) Ltd.
1983 Terminal replacement enquiry service. Support for the Department's Operational Strategy Computer Analysis and Programmers (London) Ltd.
1983 Local Office Project. Computer application in local offices CSC (UK) Ltd.
1983 Human factors—systems interface design. Assistance to the Department's Operational Strategy HUSAT
1983 Programming Support for Personnel Statistics Logica Ltd.
1983 To evaluate the Computer aspects of introducing electronic Radiology Department Logica Ltd.
1983 To advise ORS on the quality control of its Computer Programming Peat, Marwick, Mitchell and Co.
1983 Housing Benefit Logica Ltd.
1983 Manpower Planning Studies National Coal Board
1983 Computerisation of Social Security Operations National Coal Board
1983 Aspects of Social Security Local Office work C2 Systems Ltd.
1983 Work on National Insurance Contributions Atkins Planning
1984 Monitoring Social Security Encashments C2 Systems Ltd.
1984 Production of Data model Model Systems Ltd.
1984 Development of 'Artemis' Programming aspects for electronic office MOM