The PDFs on this page have been archived. Links will take you to documents on the National Archive Website.

This briefing has been prepared for the Public Administration Select Committee to provide an overview of the work and performance of the Cabinet Office in the financial year 2007-08 and subsequent months.

Jump to downloads

This briefing has been prepared for the Public Administration Select Committee to provide an overview of the work and performance of the Cabinet Office in the financial year 2007-08 and subsequent months. The briefing takes as its basis the Cabinet Office’s Annual Report and Accounts 2007-2008, drawing upon the work of the National Audit Office together with relevant material from other external and internal reviews of departmental performance.

During 2007-08 the following key events and issues involved the Cabinet Office:

  • The Cabinet Office did not fully meet any of the SR2004 PSA targets for which it was the lead department. Assessments of progress in 2006-07 proved over‑optimistic.
  • Total departmental spending increased by 18 per cent in 2007-08, driven by a large increase in grant provision to private sector and other bodies. Some of the grant programmes were underspent.
  • The Cabinet Office performed well against most of its SR2004 efficiency targets, especially reported cash savings (£33 million) and reductions in staff numbers (140 posts), although it was not able to meet targets for relocation of staff.
  • The Cabinet Office is responsible for the Capability Review programme designed to measure the Civil Service’s capability to meet future challenges, and to drive improvement to fill the gaps. A review found that it had reached a crucial stage which could lead either to ‘take-off’ or ‘tail-off’.
  • The Cabinet Office’s own Capability Review, and Sir Suma Chakrabarti’s subsequent review, emphasised the need for the Board to become better at providing leadership for the Cabinet Office and for the whole Civil Service. A team undertaking an interim stocktake expected to see tangible outcomes in the second-stage review due at the end of 2008.

 

Downloads

Latest briefings