Performance and Innovation Unit (Hansard, 21 October 1999)

§ The Prime Minister

The Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) was established to improve the capacity of Government to identify and address strategic cross-cutting issues and promote innovation in the development of policy and in the delivery of the Government's objectives. The PIU project teams are drawn from both inside and outside Government, to ensure new thinking and a wide range of experience is brought to bear on the issues. Their reports make an important contribution to policy making.

Further to the work announced in December 1998, the Modernising Government White Paper in March 1999 announced that the PIU is undertaking a project aimed at identifying the long-term strategic challenges facing Government. I have now asked the PIU to take on the following further projects:

The Pursuit and Seizure of Criminal Assets

To consider the role that following the money trail and seizing criminal assets can play in the fight against crime and how to maximise the effective use of these tools. My right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney), Minister of State, Cabinet Office is the sponsor Minister for this project.

The Post Office network

To identify the contribution made by post offices to the vitality of local communities, consider how the Post Office network can best contribute to the Government's objectives in the future and in the process formulate objectives for the Post Office network. My hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Clarke), Minister of State, Home Office is the sponsor Minister.

Social, Health, Environmental and Trade Objectives on the Global Stage

To identify a coherent set of principles for comparing trade measures with other national and international measures for addressing social, health and environmental objectives. My hon. Friend the Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson), Minister of State, Scotland Office is the sponsor Minister.

The Use of Analysis and Modelling in Central Government

To review Departments' capabilities for quantitative analysis and modelling in key areas of Government policy, including access to and the use made of data, to identify strengths and weaknesses and make cost-effective recommendations for change.

The aim is to complete the first three projects next spring and the last by the end of the year.