§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress with the Public Service Agreement target for delivery of the Civil Service reforms programme. [21238]
§ Mr. LeslieMy Department continues to drive the Civil Service reform programme across Departments, and good progress has been made against the many actions which were set out in Sir Richard Wilson's initial Reform Report which was published in December 1999. A report on progress was published in December 2000, and a further report is planned early in the new year.
These reports, and information on progress across the many separate strands of the Civil Service reform programme are published on the dedicated website: www.civil-service.gov.uk/reform.
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§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress on the Public Service Agreement target for the review of corporate human resources systems which was subsumed within the Civil Service reforms programme. [21275]
§ Mr. LeslieThe Cabinet Office continues to drive forward the programme of Civil Service reform across Departments, and intends to publish the second annual report early in the new year. I am pleased to be able to give some examples of progress already made.
By April 2002, around 80 per cent. of all Departments will have reviewed their pay and performance management systems. A new corporate performance management system for the Senior Civil Service, based on a new competency framework, was introduced in April of this year, and payments under the new system will be made commencing April 2002.
The Cabinet Office has undertaken a review of the Fast Stream, with the aim of retaining the scheme's appeal with the best of the current applicants and adding applications from the best graduates from underrepresented groups.
A new E-recruitment gateway has been established, which is currently being used by over 50 Departments and agencies and attracting over 52,000 hits a month.
Following wide consultation, a new and more flexible pension scheme has been developed for Civil Servants and is being introduced with effect from October 2002.
A copy of the Civil Service Reform Report 2000 is available in the Library of the House and can be accessed through the following website: www.civil-service.gov.uk/ reform.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the(a) renovations and (b) other works being carried out to the Ripley buildings; when this work was agreed to; and what is the total expected cost of this work. [20344]
§ Mr. LeslieThe project to refurbish Admiralty Arch, Kirkland House and the Ripley Building was announced to the Public Administration Select Committee by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office on 8 December 1998.
The work to the Ripley and Kirkland Buildings (collectively known as 22 Whitehall) is a major refurbishment including the installation of new lifts, new mechanical and electrical and plumbing services. In addition, both buildings have required major structural repairs.
A contract in 1999 to undertake structural repairs to the Ripley Building cost £2.079 million excluding VAT. The major contract currently under way to undertake the refurbishment of 22 Whitehall as a whole is subject to an incentivised arrangement with the contractor. In the light of this arrangement, the final cost to the Cabinet Office cannot be precisely estimated at this time. However, the current expectation is that the cost will be of the order of £27 million (excluding VAT).
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