§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which of the services of his Department have not been reviewed under the Better Quality Services Initiative; and when they will be reviewed. [50313]
§ Dr. WhiteheadThe Better Quality Services (BQS) programme was launched in 1998 and adopted by the Cabinet Office in the Modernising Government White Paper of 1999 as a means of delivering continuous improvements in the quality and effectiveness of Government activities and services. It requires all Government Departments to review every activity and service over a five-year period starting in October 1999. The scheme covers all activities in Departments, agencies and executive non-departmental public bodies, and is similar in remit to the Best Value programme in local government.
The review of the Department's activities and services under the scheme started in 1999. The central Department has completed 12 reviews to date and others are on-going. There are still 53 activities and services to review. Our agencies and executive non-departmental public bodies have their own programmes of performance review.
Following an evaluation of the BQS scheme in September 2001, the management of the scheme by the Cabinet Office ceased. However, experience has shown that BQS is a useful management tool, particularly in examining central corporate management functions. Departments have therefore been encouraged not to discontinue its use simply as a result of central co-ordination ceasing, but to consider its use alongside other management tools, as appropriate.