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Modernising Government
10. Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on progress on the modernising government agenda. [144207]
Mr. Ian McCartney: We are making excellent progress as our report, "Citizens First", shows. My hon. Friend will be aware that in his constituency Thameside NHS trust holds Chartermarks, both for its learning disability and continuing care services--just two examples of the Government's determination to reward and promote excellence in public services.
We have a clear framework for investment in services, based on the Government's policy goals. We are focusing on the user of public services and setting targets to drive forward change and delivery. We are becoming an e-Government, not for its own sake but to make life easier for people, as UK Online is doing. And we are restoring the value of public service. We are delivering modernisation with a purpose, delivering results that matter and make a difference.
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Regulatory Impact Assessment
11. Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the development of the regulatory impact assessment system. [144208]
Mr. Stringer: This Government are determined that regulations should not be introduced unless they are really necessary and the benefits justify the costs. A thorough regulatory impact assessment is required for all new regulations that impact on business. Over the last two years, we have introduced a number of initiatives to support and strengthen this process such as the panel for regulatory accountability, a minimum three-month consultation period and a revised assessment of costs and benefits with a greater emphasis on the impact on small businesses.
Independent Government Agencies
12. Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps she is taking to enhance the accountability of operationally independent Government agencies. [144209]
Marjorie Mowlam: Within the last 12 months the Cabinet Office has published revised guidance on quinquennial reviews of Executive agencies. This guidance reiterates the need for transparency and accountability both to Parliament and to the public in the review process.
EU Regulations
13. Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans she has to issue guidelines to Government Departments for the co-ordination of implementation programmes for European Union regulations in 2001. [144210]
Mr. Stringer: The "Guide to Better European Regulation" was published in 1999. This brings together guidance on assessing proposals for, negotiating, implementing, monitoring and reviewing EC legislation. I am keeping under review as to when or how it should be revised.
Commissioner for Public Appointments
14. Mr. Brady: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the work of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. [144211]
Mr. Stringer: The Commissioner for Public Appointments, Dame Rennie Fritchie, regulates ministerial appointments to public bodies within her remit. Her work and advice is highly regarded and respected by the Government.
Drug Mortality Rates
15. Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many deaths from illegal drugs there were in 1989; and what the estimated number is for 2001. [144212]
Mr. Ian McCartney: For the year 1989, the published Home Office Statistical Bulletin reveals some 1,191 deaths due to controlled drugs. This figure includes poisonings, suicides and those dying from AIDS acquired through injecting drug use, as well as the dependent and
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non-dependent use of controlled drugs. There are no official estimates for the number of drug-related deaths for 2001.
However, latest figures indicate that there are over 3,000 drug-related deaths annually within the United Kingdom. As part of the Government's 10-year strategy for reducing drugs misuse, we are committed to reducing the number of these tragedies. We have made available the resources to make this possible and will shortly be announcing our response to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs report "Reducing Drug Related Deaths".
Social Exclusion Unit
16. Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps she is taking to monitor the impact of the work of the social exclusion unit in relation to tackling poverty. [144214]
Marjorie Mowlam: My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office chairs the ministerial network on social exclusion which chases progress on implementation of the social exclusion unit's existing reports on specific aspects of social exclusion. Previous projects have been on truancy and school exclusion; rough sleeping; teenage pregnancy; new opportunities for 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, employment and training and poor neighbourhoods. These reports have all led to tangible change, both within Government and on the ground.
The unit underwent an external review in 1999 when its project-based approach and working methods were widely welcomed. The Prime Minister announced to Parliament in December 1999 that the SEU should continue its work and be reviewed again by the end of 2002.
Indeed, on Monday this week, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and the Regions informed the House of the publication of the unit's latest report which set out the Government's "National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal: A New Commitment to Neighbourhood Renewal".
The new strategy has been developed in a response to previous social exclusion unit reports on the poverty suffered by residents of deprived areas and will be implemented by a new unit, based in DETR.
The social exclusion unit is currently working on a project to cut rates of reoffending by ex-prisoners and has been asked to report to the Prime Minister by spring 2001.
Government Machinery
18. Mr. Baldry: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what percentage of her time is spent on issues relating to the machinery of Government. [144216]
Marjorie Mowlam: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has overall responsibility for machinery of government issues.
As Minister for the Cabinet Office, I am responsible for the effective co-ordination and presentation of the Government's policies. This includes responsibilities in the areas of biotechnology; combating drug misuse; overall responsibility for the work of the Cabinet Office; and discharging the day-to-day responsibilities of the Minister for the Civil Service. As Chancellor of the
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Duchy of Lancaster, I also have responsibility to Her Majesty the Queen for the general administration of the Duchy.
E-services
19. Mr. Fabricant: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment she has made of progress in achieving the Government's targets in use of information technology within the civil service, with special reference to the provision of forms for the use of the public. [144217]
Mr. Ian McCartney: The Government continue to make strong progress towards the Prime Minister's target that by 2005 all Government services should be available online.
We have a good story to tell: for central Government we have identified 451 services to the citizen and to business and already one third of them are available online. Many of these replace simple forms to request information, and some Government forms are now fully downloadable, such as those for the Court service.
Things you can do online now include:
- ordering and paying for a company's financial returns,
- checking to see if you need hospital treatment,
- find out if it is safe to visit foreign countries,
- fill out a tax form,
- The public can also keep up to date with what is happening in Parliament and contact the Ombudsman online,
- Employees and employers can interactively calculate pay rates and entitlements under the National Minimum Wage regulations with further interactive guides to employment law to follow,
- and get a local weather forecast to help plan your day using your mobile phone (SMS or WAP).
The spring 2000 report has been placed in the Libraries of the House. My Department is preparing the autumn 2000 monitoring report which I will be also placing in the Libraries of the House.
Online information is available from "things you can do online now" www.e-envoy.gov.uk/online-now.htm
24. Dr. George Turner: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment she makes of progress towards Government targets for the use of information and communications technology in transactions with the public. [144222]
Mr. Ian McCartney: The Government continue to make strong progress towards the Prime Minister's target that by 2005 all Government services should be available online.
We have a good story to tell: for central Government we have identified 451 services to the citizen and to business and already one third of them are available online
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Things you can do online now include:
- ordering and payment for a company's financial returns,
- checking to see if you need hospital treatment,
- find out if it is safe to visit foreign countries,
- fill out a tax form,
- the public can also keep up to date with what is happening in Parliament and contact the Ombudsman online,
- employees and employers can interactively calculate pay rates and entitlements under the national minimum wage regulations with further interactive guides to employment law to follow,
- and get a local weather forecast to help plan your day using your mobile phone (SMS or WAP).
The spring 2000 report has been placed in the Libraries of the House. My Department is preparing the autumn 2000 monitoring report which I will be placing in the Libraries of the House.
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