Vol. 490 No. 2
43 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Finance if he will give details of the Government's decision of July 1997 in respect of the evaluation of public expenditure programmes and, in particular, the programmes and Departments under review; the membership of the steering groups in each case; the terms of reference agreed; the methodology being used; the progress to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9524/98]
The Strategic Management Initiative provides for major changes to the way in which public expenditure programmes are managed. Under the new approach, Departments will be given the maximum possible scope for managing the resources allocated to them. As a counterpart to this greater delegation, each expenditure programme is to be subject to a thorough review every three years. The reviews will be carried out by spending Departments under steering groups drawn from the Department concerned and the Department of Finance.
In July 1997, the Government approved the first programme of spending reviews by all major Departments and Offices to be started in 1997. The Government also considered an indicative list of the reviews which might be begun in the second and third years of the programme. The 1997 reviews are currently under way. They are at varying stages. A small number are almost finished, others are at an early stage. My Department has urged that the full programme be completed by the summer. In the summer I will propose to the Government the second programme of reviews. Decisions on the future programme will take account of progress with the first round of reviews. The main aim at this early stage is to ensure that the review process is introduced successfully and supports reform of the financial management system.
In my Deparment, which does not have significant spending programmes under its aegis, a review of the ESRI has been carried out. Other Ministers will no doubt supply information on reviews in their areas should the Deputy ask them.
