Prime Minister's Office: Reports on the Efficiency of the Civil Service by Sir Derek...

This series consists of reports on the efficiency of the Civil Service by Sir Derek Rayner. The reports so far available relate to statistical services within major government departments and to reviews of administrative forms. The reports describe the work and the results of the studies carried out in various departments.

By subject

From 1981 Prime Minister's Office

In May 1979 Sir Derek Rayner was asked by the Prime Minister to undertake a number of inquiries into the operation of various parts of the Civil Service. In these inquiries he was assisted by teams of officials from the Civil Service Department and other government departments.

The inquiries included a series commissioned by the Prime Minister on 21 January 1980 into government statistical services. Their purpose was to examine critically the statistical services available to each Minister and the use made of them:

(a) assessing each statistical activity to see whether the costs to government and to those outside were justified by the benefits obtained and whether the work could be undertaken more efficiently;

(b) recommending the best means for continuing scrutiny of the cost of, and the need for, individual statistical services.