§ Mr. BowisTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to discuss public service reform with other countries.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThroughout Europe governments are faced daily by the competing requirements of spending taxpayers' money wisely and delivering the best possible public services. Here in Britain the Prime Minister launched the citizens charter initiative in July 1991 with the aim of improving the quality of our public services and I know that other countries are working to improve theirs.
As one of the activities arranged during our presidency of the European Community, my Department is co-operating in the organisation of a conference—"Service and the Citizen"—which will take place at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre in London on 3 and 4 December 1992. It is being organised, in consultation with the citizens charter unit in my Department, by Touchstone Exhibitions and Conferences Ltd. I will arrange for a copy of the conference programme to be placed in the Library of the House.
This will be the first time, to my knowledge, that a conference on public service reform—with such a comprehensive programme—has been organised anywhere in Europe. Already there has been an enthusiastic response from individuals and organisations who wish to participate. We also have an impressive line-up of speakers. I am looking forward to welcoming the participants to London in December for what I am sure will be an exciting and worthwhile event.