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Deputy Prime Minister

Answer

Mr. Tim Smith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the next steps review. [20266] The Deputy Prime Minister: The Government have today published the 1996 next steps review, Cm 3579, which has been laid in both Houses. This review, the seventh in the series, brings together performance and trend information on 109 executives agencies and the executive units of HM Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue operating in 1995-96 and details of next steps developments up to the end of 1996. The publication sets out some impressive results flowing from the Government's managerial reforms of the civil service. It also shows that there is scope for further improvement and describes the Government's approach for bringing this about, through better assessment and benchmarking of the performance of agencies and their targets, the identification and spread of best managerial practice, including that in the private sector, and action on the areas needing attention. The 1996 next steps review opens up for scrutiny a wealth of data and comment on the executive work of the civil service and provides a valuable source document and commentary on management issues.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

20266; 292 c216W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Executive agencies Civil servants Civil service Management Staff Standards