HC Deb 11 February 1988 vol 127 cc299-302W
Mr. Boyes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies and reports have been, and are being undertaken on the operation of the Property Services Agency and the Crown Suppliers from 1979 up to the latest date available.

Mr. Chope

[holding answer 29 January 1988]: The table sets out, on the information available, studies and reports which were made on the operation of the Property Services Agency in each of the years 1979–80 to 1987–88, and the studies still in progress at present. It excludes internal studies and reports (but includes those led by other, central Departments). The first part of the list relates to the Property Services Agency, except for the Crown Suppliers. The second part relates to the Crown Suppliers alone.

Part 1: Property Services Agency (except the Crown Suppliers)

1979–80 Estate Management Case Study (Efficiency Scrutiny)1 Energy Conservation on the Government Estate (Efficiency Scrutiny)1 Works Transport (Efficiency Scrutiny)1 Administration Costs (Efficiency Scrutiny)1

1980–81 Repayment System for PSA Services3 Custody Guard Service (Efficiency Scrutiny)1 Economy in New Building Works for the Armed Services (Efficiency Scrutiny) 1 4

1981–82 Report on Fees Paid to Works Consultants (Public Accounts Committee) Report on Frauds and Irregularities in the PSA (Public Accounts Committee) Report on Investment Appraisal in Government generally (Public Accounts Committee)3

1982–83 Resource Control Reviews—Study of District Works Offices in the Property Services Agency (Efficiency Scrutiny)1 Report of the Working Group on Design Costs (Messrs Davis-Sweet and others) 5 Report on Contracts Functions (Deloitte Haskins and Sells) Interim Report to the Secretary of State for the Environment on Cases of Fraud and Corruption in the PSA (WardaleTouche Ross) 6 Multi Departmental Review of Personnel Work (Efficiency Unit)2

1983–84 Final report to the Secretary of State for the Environment on Cases of Fraud and Corruption in the PSA (Wardale/ Touche Ross)5 Report on Economy Measures in Civil, Defence and Overseas estates (Public Accounts Committee)6 Report on Building Maintenance Expenditure in the United Kingdom (Public Accounts Committee) Report on Systems Control in District Works Offices [in the light of the Wardale Report] (Public Accounts Committee)

1984–85 Report on Main Estimates 1984–85 (Environment Committee) Report on Building Maintenance (Comptroller ad Auditor-General) Report on Action Plans in the PSA on the Wardale Report and on Building Maintenance Expenditure (Public Accounts Committee) Report on Economy Measures in Civil, Defence and Overseas estates (Public Accounts Committee) Report on Defence Works in the Falkland Islands (Public Accounts Committee) Multi-Departmental Review of Consultancy, Inspection and Review (CIR) capability in Government Departments (Efficiency Unit, Cabinet Office)2 Multi-Departmental Review of the Identification of Internal Talent (Efficiency Unit)2

1985–86 Identification and Disposal of Surplus Property (Efficiency Scrutiny)1 Report on Main Estimates 1985–86 (Environment Committee) Multi-Departmental Review of Budgetary Control (HM Treasury)2 Report on the Programme for the Provision of Prison Places (Comptroller and Auditor General) Report on Court Building Programmes (Public Accounts Committee) Report on Prison Building Programmes (Public Accounts Committee) Multi-Departmental Review of Office Accommodation (former Management and Personnel Office)2 Report on Capital Expenditure Projects (Efficiency Unit, Cabinet Office)3 Report on follow up to the Multi-Departmental Review of CIR services (HM Treasury and former Management and Personnel Office)2

1986–87 Specialist Professional Advice within PSA (Efficiency Scrutiny)1 Report on Commercial Accounts (Deloitte, Haskins and Sells) Report on Main Estimates 1986–87 (Environment Committee) Report on Management of the Defence Estate (National Audit Office) Report on Management of the Civil Estate (National Audit Office) Report into the Property Services Agency (Environment Committee) Multi-Departmental Review of Use of Private Enterprise in Government Departments (Efficiency Unit, Cabinet Office) Report on Internal Audit in Central Government (National Audit Office)2 Report of Working Group of Capital Expenditure Projects (HM Treasury) 2 Report of Working Group on Major Capital Projects (HM Treasury) 2 Report on further follow up to the Multi-Department Review of CIR services (HM Treasury and former Management and Personnel Office) 2

1987–88 Report on Control and Management of the Trident Programme (National Audit Office)7 Project Management in the PSA (Efficiency Scrutiny)1 8 Study on Management of the Civil Estate (National Audit Office)9 Study on Management Controls in District Works Offices (National Audit Office)9 Study of Commercial Management of HM Dockyards (National Audit Office)7 9 Study on the Employment of Works Consultants by Government Departments and Health Authorities (National Audit Office)9 Study on National Energy Efficiency (National Audit Office)9

Part 2: The Crown Suppliers

1983–84 Report on Supplies Transport Branch (Cranfield Institute of Technology) PSA Supplies Market Research Consultancy (Farnfield Marketing Consultancy) Multi Departmental Review of Government Purchasing: Contract and Procurement Procedures (former Management and Personnel Office)2

1984–85 Government Car Service and Inter-departmental Despatch Service (Efficiency Scrutiny)1

1985–86 Report on the Future of the Crown Suppliers (former Management and Personnel Office)6

1986–87 Report on the Future of the Crown Suppliers (Central Unit on Purchasing)2 Study into the Feasibility of Privatisation of the Crown Suppliers (Coopers and Lybrand) Review of the Crown Suppliers (Mr. D. W. Jones)11

Notes

  1. 1. Efficiency Scrutinies are carried out under the aegis of the Cabinet Office's Efficiency Unit. They include in this list studies formerly known as Rayner Scrutinies.
  2. 2. These studies applied to certain other Government Departments as well as to PSA, and were led by the central Department(s) indicated;
  3. 3. The Working Group which carried out this study was led by Sir Derek Rayner, then adviser to the Prime Minister on Efficiency.
  4. 4. This Scrutiny was undertaken jointly with the Ministry of Defence.
  5. 5. This Working Group included Mr. R. O'B Davis, a partner in Coopers and Lybrand, and Mr. C. Sweet a consultant quantity surveyor as well as representatives from HM Treasury and the PSA.
  6. 6. The interim and the final reports of the Wardale Enquiry were written by Sir Geoffrey Wardale, formerly 302 Second Permanent Secretary to the Department of the Environment, and Mr. A. G. Herron a partner in Touche Ross.
  7. 7. These studies apply also to the Ministry of Defence.
  8. 8. This Scrutiny was undertaken jointly with the Central Unit on Purchasing.
  9. 9. These studies are currently in progress.
  10. 10. These studies apply also to other Departments.
  11. 11. Mr. D. W. Jones is a procurement consultant, formerly an executive in Esso Petroleum.