HC Deb 30 April 2002 vol 384 cc716-8W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which of the services of his Department have not been reviewed under the Better Quality Services Initiative; and when they will be reviewed. [50316]

Mr. Nicholas Brown

The Better Quality Services (BQS) programme was launched in 1998 and adopted by the Cabinet 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 Department for Work and Pensions was established in June 2001, specifically to improve customer service, and two new executive agencies, Jobcentre Plus and The Pension Service, were launched on 1 April 2002. During this period the Department did not carry out any Better Quality reviews. We are now considering where they would be appropriate.