In his statement today Ed Miliband welcomes the Comprehensive Spending
Review and explains the role of the Cabinet Office in creating a fairer and
equal Britain and in supporting the Prime Minister.
“Today’s settlement indicates the importance of the role of the Cabinet
Office in creating a fairer and more equal Britain. We will be able to
help government work better for people and to support the Prime Minister
in achieving his goals. We will be improving life chances, strengthening
the third sector and ensuring public services are more responsive to the
people who use them.
“We now have a Public Service Agreement which is designed to ensure that
across government people are working to improve the life chances for the
most excluded in our society. Led by the Social Exclusion Taskforce in
the Cabinet Office, this PSA will help vulnerable adults and supports the
Prime Minister’s priority for fairness and opportunity for all.
“The Cabinet Office has worked across government to agree an approach to
tackle the challenges for the most disadvantaged adults. Their lives can
be turned around through increasing the proportion of those most at-risk
in settled accommodation and employment, education or training. We look
forward to working with local government and service providers in making
a difference to people’s lives through this PSA.
“I’m particularly pleased that this settlement provides ongoing support
for the department’s work to strengthen the contribution of the third
sector in building strong communities and delivering first-rate public
services. During the financial years 2008-12, the Cabinet Office will
invest over £515 million in third sector programmes, helping to create an
environment in which third sector organisations can thrive, to enable
campaigning, to strengthen communities, transform public services and
encourage social enterprise.
“The third sector is key to reaching the government's goals and this
is reflected in today's new PSAs. Twenty seven out of thirty PSAs
across departments that have a direct relevance to the third sector in
improving lives and communities.
“Public services have to become more suited to the people who use them,
and the Cabinet Office is at the heart of that reform through its
Transformational Government programme. From today there is a Service
Transformation Agreement dedicated to ensuring public services meet
today's customer needs. This agreement underpins delivery of the
whole of the new PSA framework and is a programme across Government that
Cabinet Office will lead.
“The aim is to make our public services more personalised and in tune
with people's expectations. This is an ambitious vision, but one
government must embrace to keep pace with the times. This work will
include taking forward the recommendations of Sir David Varney's
report "Service Transformation: a better service for citizens and
businesses, a better deal for the taxpayer" which was published in
December 2006.
“We will also continue to lead government coordinating domestic, defence
and overseas policy and promoting standards for good government and
adherence to the Ministerial and civil service codes.
“Over recent years the Cabinet Office has lead on managing crises and
challenges in the coordination of intelligence and resilience in the face
of the growing threat of terrorism. In recent months the Department has
played a critical role in supporting the Government's response to
national crises including flooding and foot and mouth disease. We will
continue to provide that coordination and build our capacity further to
respond to the challenges.
“This is an exciting time for the Cabinet Office and I look forward to
working with our many partners and providers in the coming months.”
