§ Mr. SandersTo ask the Prime Minister what subjects have been referred to the Performance and Innovation Unit. [104591]
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Illsley) on 10 December 1998,Official Report, columns 277–78W; to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) on 21 October 1999, Official Report,column 630W; and to my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes, South-West (Dr. Starkey) on 24 November 1999, Official Report, column 162W.
§ Mr. SandersTo ask the Prime Minister what is the remit of the Performance and Innovation Unit. [104592]
§ The Prime MinisterThe remit of the Performance and Innovation Unit is 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.
§ Mr. SandersTo ask the Prime Minister (1) when he expects the Performance and Innovation Unit to report on post offices; [104593]
(2) what is the membership and remit of the Performance and Innovation Unit study of post offices. [104594]
§ The Prime MinisterAs I indicated in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) on 21 October 1999,Official Report, column 630W, I expect the Performance and Innovation Unit's work on the Post Office network to be completed this spring.
The Performance and Innovation Unit project team is drawn from both inside and outside Government, to ensure new thinking and a wide range of experience is brought to bear on the issues. The remit of the project is 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 the process to formulate objectives for the Post Office.