§ Lady Olga MaitlandTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the departments of the Northern Ireland civil service and the Northern Ireland Office are responding to the "next steps" initiative; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir John WheelerThe response of the Departments of Northern Ireland Civil Service and the Northern Ireland Office to "next steps" forms an important component of the overall programme of civil service management reform in Northern Ireland.
In the province the important work of the administration has continued in spite of the many difficulties faced by our civil servants, in common with the private sector work force. The "next steps" programme is designed to enhance effectiveness and efficiency, and to improve standards of service and value for money. "Next steps" is the vehicle for providing, through those executive agencies which serve the public in Northern Ireland, the improved quality which is necessary if we are to meet our citizens charter commitments.
In line with the progress reported by the Government recently in the White Paper on the fourth "Next Steps Review" (Cm 2430), agency coverage in Northern Ireland has been increasing steadily. There are now nine agencies in place covering some 30 per cent. of the work force.
We have plans to look at the scope to extend this coverage to include the remaining significant executive activities, and in doing so to establish, on a case-by-case basis, that these activities continue to be appropriate for the civil service.
There is no presumption that every existing business unit must be an agency. We will wish to confirm, by way of prior options studies, that an activity remains necessary, and also to consider whether it should be pursued through privatisation, or contracting out. Four such studies are coming close to completion and are looking in depth at the Public Records Office, the Estate Services Directorate of the Management Executive for HPSS, the Industrial Research and Technology Unit, and the Forensic Science Laboratory. If agency status is agreed for any of these I will make a further announcement.
The schedule set out lists additional studies for which a timetable is now settled. I am still considering further possibilities, and will make another announcement to the House in due course.
Schedule Dept. Departmental proposed completion dates DED Insolvency Service by January 1995 DED Health and Safety by December 1994 DED Trading Standards by April 1994 DFP Departmental Information Systems Units by September 1994 DFP Telecommunications by May 1995 DFP Civil Service Superannuation (in conjunction with HPSS Superannuation) by March 1995 DFP Business Development Services by March 1994 DFP Statistics, Census Office, GRO by March 1994 DHSS HPSS Superannuation See DFP, Superannuation above DHSS Health Service Information Systems by June 1994 522W
Dept. Departmental proposed completion dates
DOE Roads Services by December 1994 DOE Environment Services by December 1994 DOE Land/Deeds Registration by December 1994 DOE Planning Service by December 1994 NIO Prison Service by June 1994