§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the programme to improve business efficiency, referred to on page 41 of the 2001 report of the Food Standards Agency. [49229]
§ Yvette CooperThe Food Standards Agency (FSA) continues to develop ways of improving organisational performance through a co-ordinated programme of activity designed to improve business efficiency.
A major programme of staff training and development to ensure staff have the knowledge and skills to deliver a higher level of performance in meeting the FSA's business needs commenced in 2001. This provides the basis for the successful delivery of the other strands of the efficiency programme.
The programme to improve business efficiency also encompasses the implementation of an effective procurement strategy, development and implementation of an e-strategy including the launch of a new 'user-friendly' 500W website, and a critical appraisal of research programmes and management systems. A comprehensive information technology/information systems strategy has been developed leading to the re-letting of the FSA's IT system support contract.