§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a statement of the objectives of his Department, and of the indicators it uses to assess the extent to which they have been achieved.
§ Mr. HurdThe overriding duty of my Department is to discharge its functions efficiently, effectively and economically. Its most important objectives include the maintenance of the Queen's peace, the rule of law and the prevention of crime, and the satisfactory discharge of its specific statutory responsibilities. My accountability to Parliament provides a continuing test of the performance of the Department. I attach importance to the level of public confidence in the criminal justice system and in the services which support it. More specific indicators include the achievement of financial and manpower budgets and the completion of the prison building programme.