§ Mr. ByersTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the terms of reference of the prior options review of the Employment Service executive agency; what is its membership; when it is expected to report; and what consultants have been employed to work with the review.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe terms of reference of the prior options review of the Employment Service are
43WWith the aim of ensuring that the functions of the Employment Service are organised so as to offer a high quality, cost-effective service to clients, the review will examine the feasibility of abolition, privatisation, strategic contracting out and, where these are rejected, market testing; or of maintaining current arrangements; and will make recommendations to Ministers.The review is being conducted by officials in the Department in consultation with the Office of Public Service and Science and Her Majesty's Treasury and with the co-operation of the Department of Social Security, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Employment Service itself, with the aim of reporting to Ministers by the end of March 1995.
As part of the review, and following a competitive tendering process, Ernst and Young was commissioned to carry out a detailed examination of the potential and existing external markets in relation to the delivery of the services under review.