Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 37
37
Rejected
Paragraph: 243
Establish clear targets and measure performance for all programmes following OSR guidance.
Recommendation
DWP does not consistently set clear targets for its programmes or produce results against these targets. Where it has set targets previously, such as for Way to Work, these have been criticised as being inadequately defined and the results against these targets unsubstantiated. DWP should follow guidance from the Office for Statistics Regulation to establish targets and measure performance against these for all its programmes going forward.
Government Response Summary
The government describes its existing process for agreeing aims and objectives and monitoring policy performance, but states that the appropriateness of public targets and monitoring varies case-by-case, implicitly rejecting the recommendation to consistently apply OSR guidance for all programmes.
Paragraph Reference:
243
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
For each new policy, DWP Ministers and officials agree aims and objectives, and determine how best to understand, measure, and monitor the delivery and performance of policy through management information, statistics, research and evaluation. Whether public targets are appropriate, and how best to monitor performance, vary on a case-by-case basis. DWP aims to release relevant information on its activities to help understanding of its policies and performance.