Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 - Performance Framework
Public Service Agreements 2008-2011
On 9th October 2007, the Government published the results of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 (CSR 2007). As well as spending settlements for all departments, it contains a new set of cross-government priorities or Public Service Agreements (PSAs), to replace those which were agreed in the previous Spending Review (SR04). These will be key priorities for the government for the period from April 2008 until March 2011.
Several features of the new framework should be noted:
- There are a much smaller number of PSAs: 30 new PSAs which form the key priorities for government as a whole over the period of the CSR.
- PSAs are outcome- rather than target-focused, and underpinned by a small number of indicators
- Each PSA is supported by a "delivery agreement". With a lead government department, but delivery agreements will define the contributions of other government departments towards them. Each PSA and its delivery agreement is overseen by a cabinet sub-committee, if required.
The framework requires departments to develop a set of Departmental Strategic Objectives (DSOs). Between them, these DSOs cover the full breadth of a department's work, and are no less important than PSAs. In Defra we will be assessing our own performance internally against these DSOs, and reporting regularly against them to Treasury.
The creation of a new Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) impacted on our previous Departmental Strategic Objectives (DSOs) and Public Service Agreements. This offered the opportunity for Defra to review its current strategy as set out in October 2007 for the CSR period. Defra Ministers have now set a new direction for the Department, reflecting these changes to our remit.
Defra-led PSAs
Defra is leading on one cross-government PSA for the remainder of the CSR period:
- Secure a healthy natural environment for everyone’s well being, health and prosperity, now and in the future
The full delivery agreements for the PSA can be found on the HM Treasury website:
- Natural Environment Delivery Agreement [PDF, 350KB]
- Supplementary information on the Natural Environment PSA [PDF, 150KB]
Indicators for Defra-led PSA
The Natural Environment PSA will be measured against the following indicators:
- Water - improving water quality as measured by parameters assessed by Environment Agency river water quality monitoring programmes
- Biodiversity - as measured by data on bird populations in England as a proxy for the health of wider biodiversity
- Air quality - improving air quality by meeting the Air Quality Strategy targets for eight air pollutants
- Marine - Clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas as indicated by proxy measurements of fish stocks, sea pollution and plankton status.
- Land management - the positive and negative impacts of agricultural land management to the natural environment .
Further details on these indicators can be found in the delivery agreement.
Sustainable Development
As expressed clearly through the overarching goals governing the PSAs, sustainable development is delivered by Government as a whole. In order to ensure strong accountability for the delivery of sustainable development, Government will monitor a sub-set of indicators drawn from PSAs and Departmental Strategic Objectives across Departments and take action in an integrated way. Defra will act as champion for sustainable development within Government. The Sustainable Development Commission will continue to act as independent advisor, advocate and "watchdog" to Government, holding it to account on its performance regarding sustainable development.
PSAs led by Other Government Departments
Defra has signed up to be a formal delivery partner for the following PSAs (lead department in brackets):
- Climate Change (Department for Energy and Climate Change)
- Olympics (Department of Culture Media and Sport)
- Housing (Department of Communities and Local Government)
- Regional Economic Performance (Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform)
- International Poverty Reduction (Department for International Development )
- Counter-terrorism (Home Office)
- Service Transformation (Cabinet Office)
Defra will also contribute (but not as a formal delivery partner) to these other PSAs:
- Health and Well-being (Department of Health)
- Later life (Department of Work and Pensions )
- Safer communities (Home Office)
- Community Cohesion (Department of Communities and Local Government)
The delivery agreement for each of these PSAs has been published on the Treasury website.
Defra Departmental Strategic Objectives
Defra now has 9 Departmental Strategic Objectives:
- A society that is adapting to the effects of climate change
- A healthy, resilient, productive and diverse natural environment
- Sustainable, low carbon and resource efficient patterns of consumption and production
- An economy and a society that are resilient to environmental risk
- Championing sustainable development
- A thriving farming and food sector with an improving net environmental impact
- A sustainable secure and healthy food supply
- Strong rural communities
- A respected department delivering efficient and high quality services and outcomes.
Page last modified: 22 June 2009
Page published: 09 October 2007