WIREDGOV

Latest Whitehall reviews show further improvement

CABINET OFFICE News Release (CAB 022/09) issued by COI News Distribution Service on 31 March 2009

Government departments are continuing to improve as they prepare for the challenges of the next 10 years, according to the latest round of capability re-reviews.

The reviews, published today by the Cabinet Office outline the progress made by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Department for International Development (DFID), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The FCO and Defra both showed significant improvement in their ability to lead and deliver, while maintaining high scores in strategy. DCMS improved on all three measures of strategic thinking, the MoD has continued to improve in strategy and DFID once again performed extremely well in all fields.

Sir Gus O' Donnell, Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Home Civil Service, said:

"The Civil Service has always been a reliable force in tempestuous times and the global economic downturn means that, now more than ever, departments have to be ready to cope with the challenges of the coming years.

"That's why I'm so pleased to see improvements across the board at the five departments that have been re-reviewed. They provide further evidence that the capability review process works, allowing us to build on our strengths and address areas where we need to improve further. "

Each department was reviewed by a specially assembled team of reviewers drawn from the private sector, the wider public sector and board-level members of other government departments.

Andy Friend, former chief executive of John Laing and a member of the team that assessed the DCMS, said:

"Capability Reviews have helped departments follow through on difficult and important changes over the last two years. This robust process is clearly now embedded as a very positive force for change in the Civil Service."

This is the third tranche of capability re-reviews. In July 2008 the first tranche saw publication of re-reviews for the Home Office, Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Work and Pensions. The second tranche, published in December 2008, looked at the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform, the Cabinet Office and Communities and Local Government.

Notes to editors

1) The reports are published at http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/capabilityreviews

2) Questions about the reviews of specific departments should be directed to departmental press offices.

Cabinet Office Press Office 22 Whitehall LONDON SW1A 2WH
Tel: 020 7276 2533
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk