Government response
Recommendation 2
Once again this year we have not been
specifically informed by Defra in advance (or, indeed, afterwards)
of any of these appointments to posts in non-Departmental public
bodies or elsewhere. We recommend, as we did last year, that the
Department put in place procedures to inform us in advance of
all major appointments pending and/or made, in line with the recommendation
of the Liaison Committee. (Paragraph 15)
The Government's Response to the Public
Administration Select Committee Report Government by Appointments:
Opening Up the Patronage State made it clear that it would not
be appropriate for a Committee to receive any information before
an appointment was confirmed or to have any kind of veto or other
involvement in the appointments process. Where the Department
is issuing a Press Release on an appointment, arrangements will
be made to provide the Committee with an advance copy wherever
possible. In addition, the Department will provide a regular update
listing other major appointments that have been made over the
preceding months and for which no press release was issued.
Recommendation 3
We regret that the Government did not
invite us to undertake pre-legislative scrutiny of any of these
Bills; nor did it make time available to do so. (Paragraph 17)
The Department is mindful that an import
role of Select Committees is to carry out pre-legislative scrutiny
of Bills and that adequate forward notice needs to be given by
the Department if the Committee is to build time into its work
programme for this purpose.
Recommendation 4
In general, the Department's account
of its expenditure was much improved compared to 2002. Nevertheless,
we noted in our report that there are ways in which transparency
might be further improved, such as by giving a commentary of performance
against objectives, and by setting out the key financial data
relating to each Departmental objective. (Paragraph 20)
The Department accepted the Committee's recommendation
that future Reports should provide more financial detail to aid
the reader in assessing performance. Although the 2003 report
contains more concrete financial information the Department has
endeavoured to improve the way that expenditure against particular
objectives and programmes will be shown in the spring 2004 Departmental
Report.
The core tables within the 2004 Departmental Report
will present expenditure by functional area. This will be further
analysed by functions and key policies.
The tables will also highlight spend for high profile
programmes, for example, the Developing Defra Change Programme.
In addition to the core tables we have also included
key financial data setting out the resources allocated during
2003-04 and over the subsequent two to three years in support
of some of our key areas of activity, for example those resources
to be used in delivering the 'Strategy for Sustainable Farming
and Food'.
Recommendation 5
We will continue to pay close attention to the
ways in which Defra spends money, and how it accounts for its
expenditure. (Paragraph 21)
The Department accepts that this is an important
area of the Committee's work.
Recommendation 6
We are grateful to Ministers for attending our
meetings so often. We trust that our good relationship with them
will continue during 2004. (Paragraph 23)
The Department acknowledges this recommendation and
echoes the Committee's desire to continue a good working relationship.
Recommendation 7
Assessment of Defra's performance against
its Public Service Agreement targets is a significant part of
our work in holding the Department to account. We reiterate the
view expressed in past Annual Reports that analysis of performance
against PSA targets should be a major part of each annual Departmental
Report. We trust that Defra will continue to strive to improve
the way it reports its performance against such targets - and
in those areas not covered by specific PSA targets. (Paragraph
26)
The Department accepted the Committee's recommendation
that future Reports should provide a coherent commentary of performance
against each of Defra's objectives. We tested this approach in
our 2003 Autumn Performance Report, which provided a mid-year
update of progress against our Public Service Agreement targets.
In November 2003, Defra's Ministers agreed five strategic priorities
for the Department under Defra's overall aim of promoting sustainable
development:
- climate change and energy
- sustainable consumption and production
- natural resource protection
- sustainable rural communities, and
- sustainable food and farming including animal
health and welfare.
In addition, the Department recognises that a significant
part of its work is concerned with preparedness for emergencies
and contingencies.
Following the Committee's recommendation, we have
therefore brigaded reporting for each target and area of activity
under their relevant Public Service Agreement objective as this
relates to these strategic priorities. A summary of progress against
each of the Department's outstanding Public Service Agreement
targets is provided in the appendices to the report, whilst the
main body reports in detail our progress against our 2002 Spending
Review targets.
As well as reporting against our Public Service Agreement
targets we also report progress, where appropriate, against our
Service Delivery Agreement targets, which are internal targets
developed to support the achievement of Public Service Agreement
objectives. In addition we also report progress against other
areas of the Department's work which help us to achieve our aim
and objectives.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
29 July 2004
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