HL Deb 19 December 2002 vol 642 cc163-5WA
Lord Howell of Guildford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What response they have made to the report by the Better Regulation Task Force published in July on local delivery of central policy. [HL494]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

The Government's response to the Better Regulation Task Force report on local delivery of central policy was published 19 December 2002. It is available atwww.hm-treasury.gov.uk. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Lord Howell of Guildford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the recommendation in the July report by the Better Regulation Task Force on the local delivery of central policy that the Treasury and Regional Co-ordination Unit of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister should review specific areas of cross-cutting delivery has been implemented; if so, when the unit will report; and to whom. [HL495]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

The Government's response to the Better Regulation Task Force report on local delivery of central policy was published 19 December 2002. It is available atwww.hm-treasury.gov.uk. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

The government response emphasises the role of spending review and delivery planning in ensuring more effective public service delivery. In addition the Regional Co-ordination Unit will draw together information from relevant departments' delivery plans, from their regional and local intelligence and from the Better Regulation Task Force report to identify which areas would benefit from an additional review of local delivery arrangements. The RCU will then work with the Treasury and other departments on a phased programme of reviews, reporting back to the task force in June 2003 and in December 2003.

Lord Howell of Guildford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the recommendation in the July report by the Better Regulation Task Force on the local delivery of central policy that a review to map and re-engineer the delivery of skills and economic development, removing unnecessary links in the delivery chain, should be commenced within six months has been implemented. [HL496]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

The Government's response to the Better Regulation Task Force report on local delivery of central policy was published 19 December 2002. It is available at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

The response sets out the Government's strong agreement that the delivery of skills programmes must be properly co-ordinated with wider economic development programmes. The Government's forthcoming skills strategy (to be published next year) will be the key mechanism for addressing this recommendation. It will provide a framework and delivery plan for meeting the economy's skills needs.

Lord Howell of Guildford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What response they have made to Recommendation 4 in the July report by the Better Regulation Task Force on the local delivery of public services that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister should help local stakeholders to understand the role of Government Offices. [HL497]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

The Government's response to the Better Regulation Task Force report on local delivery of central policy was publised 19 December 2002. It is available atwww.hm-treasury.gov.uk. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

The response sets out the Government's acceptance of this recommendation. A real capacity to understand regional concerns is a major component of the value added by Government Offices. The Regional co-ordination Unit and the Government Offices have carried out a review of two-way communication as part of their efforts to understand better the needs of stakeholders, and have developed a communications strategy to drive this work forward.