HC Deb 05 March 2001 vol 364 cc75-6W
Mr. Tyrie

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when her Performance and Innovation Unit was established; which of its reports are placed in the public domain; how many departmental or non-departmental special advisers participate in its work; how many regular (a) non-departmental and (b) departmental staff participate in its work; and how many of these work for the unit on a full-time basis. [150364]

The Prime Minister

I am replying to this question, as it relates to matters for which I am responsible.

I announced the establishment of the Performance and Innovation Unit on 28 July 1998. The PIU provides the Government with a capacity to analyse major policy issues and design strategic solutions. Since then it has published the following reports: Encryption and Law Enforcement (published May 1999) E-commerce@its.best.uk (September 1999) Rural Economies (December 1999) Wiring It Up: Whitehall's Management of Cross-Cutting Policies and Services (January 2000) Adding It Up: Improving Analysis and Modelling in Central Government (January 2000) Reaching Out: The Role of Central Government at Regional and Local Level (February 2000) Winning the Generation Game—Improving Opportunities for People Aged 50–65 in Work and Community Activity (April 2000) Recovering Criminal Assets (June 2000) Counter Revolution—Modernising the Post Office Network (July 2000) Adoption (July 2000) e.gov—Electronic Government Services for the 21st Century (September 2000) Rights of Exchange—Social, Health, Environmental and Trade Objectives on the Global Stage (September 2000).

The modernising government White Paper recommended that the PIU examine future strategic challenges. In addition, a research study "Migration: An Economic and Social Analysis" produced by the research, development and statistics directorate of the Home Office, with the assistance of the Performance and Innovation Unit, was published in January 2001. Copies of PIU reports have been placed in the Library of the House of Commons. Details of all completed and current projects can also be found the PIU website.

Most projects are overseen by an advisory group of outside stakeholders and senior Whitehall officials including some special advisers. Details of these groups can be found in the published reports.

The PIU primarily works on individual projects, using small teams drawn from government and across the public, private and voluntary sectors. The unit has about 50–60 staff at any one time. As at 1 March 2001, 10 members of the FIU are permanent employees of the Cabinet Office, 22 are on loan from other Government Departments and 19 have been brought in from the wider public sector and the private and voluntary sectors. All except five members of staff are employed on a full-time basis.