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