Response from Sir John Vereker KCB, Permanent
Secretary, Department for International Development, to a letter
from the Committee
Further to your appearance before the International
Development Committee on Tuesday 9 May, I would be grateful if
the following information, requested during the evidence session,
could be provided:
BETTER QUALITY
SERVICES REVIEW
1. Details of the results of the reviews undertaken
under the Better Quality Services Initiative outlined in point
7 of Box g on page 25 of the Departmental Report(Q. 105):
The four completed reviews were:
— Overseas Pensions Department Service
Level Agreement.
— European Union Meetings.
— Chatham Lease Arrangements.
— Medical and Welfare Arrangements.
The first three of these reviews confirmed the
adequacy of existing arrangements. The last resulted in some organisational
changes leading to operational efficiencies but no cost savings.
INDEPENDENT EVALUATION
2. The percentage of DFID's projects that
are independently evaluated and the percentage of DFID's expenditure
that is independently evaluated (Qq. 127-129):
The nature of the independent evaluation studies
commissioned through DFID's Evaluation Department is changing.
Until three or four years ago, these were mainly project evaluations.
Around 20 project evaluations were undertaken each year, mostly
(but not always) of larger projects valued at £5 million
or more.
However, in recent years, the focus has shifted
to thematic or topical evaluations which are more policy-relevant.
Often, these take the form of synthesis studies drawing together
findings and lessons from several project evaluations. For example,
the recently completed Environment Evaluation Synthesis Study
(EV 626), published in two volumes, drew on the results of some
50 independent project evaluation studies. The ongoing evaluation
of DFID's Sustainable Agriculture Strategy is focusing on four
countries, studying in detail several projects in each country.
In summary, independent evaluation studies commissioned
by Evaluation Department are increasingly addressing broad policy
areas rather than specific projects; and within such sectoral
or thematic studies, more projects are independently reviewed
but in rather less depth than previously.
As a result, it is difficult to specify the
percentage of the bilateral project portfolio which is independently
evaluated in terms of numbers or expenditure. Although only a
small fraction of the total portfolio is independently evaluated
in a given year, Evaluation Department's work programme is constructed
so that, in systematic rotation over several years, all key sectors
and policy areas are evaluated.
FRAUD WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT
3. Whether there have been any incidences
of fraud within the Department, whether there is a whistleblower
arrangement and, if so, on how many occasions it has been used
and to what effect (Qq. 135-136):
All government departments must complete an
annual return to the Treasury reporting all cases of fraud. Our
most recent return, covering the financial year 1998-99, noted
no cases of fraud by DFID staff. This Department's policy on fraud
is set out in a Financial Keynote accessible to staff through
our Intranet. This Keynote, inter alia, sets out the responsibilities
of staff, including the need to alert line managers of any suspected
fraudulent activity. We are keeping an open mind as to whether
more specific whistleblower arrangements might be introduced.
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