strategy statement03 - 05

Further progress the equality agenda.

Performance indicators: Continue to promote existing Diversity and Gender Equality Policies. Develop policies to achieve greater participation by women in senior grades with particular emphasis on achieving the target of at least 33% of AP posts filled by women. Having currently exceeded the 3% quota for the employment of people with a disability, strive to increase the number of people with disabilities employed in the Department. Develop policies to improve participation in promotion competitions by people with disabilities.

Quality customer service

Implement our Customer Service Action Plan;

Performance indicators: Introduction of a formal complaints procedure. Completion of the Customer Care Research Programme. Completion of QCS Audits of Business Plans

Serve the Political System efficiently;

Performance indicator: Volume and timeliness of responses to representations and Parliamentary Questions (PQ’s).

Continue to expand the range of services we deliver to the

public and business electronically;

Performance indicator: Number of Departmental services online.

Ensure employment rights service provision against published

standards.

Performance indicators: Reduce waiting periods for Redundancy and Insolvency payments. Reduce waiting times for Employment Appeals Tribunal hearings. Volume of employment rights queries and cases handled through inspection to enforcement. Identify trends in volume of information made available to the public. Volume of services delivered electronically Measure customer attitudes to service delivery by survey.

Financial management and control

Introduce a new management information framework to

deliver accruals accounting and improved planning, tracking and monitoring of expenditure;

Performance indicator: New Financial Management System (FMS) to be in place by November 2003. Roll-out of purchasing module to central Purchasing Units by end 2003 and throughout the Department by end 2004, to facilitate capture of accruals information.

Devolve responsibility for financial management within the

Department;

Performance indicator: Provision of access to the new FMS to up to 250 users within the Department by end 2004, to facilitate financial management and reporting.

Provide an Internal Audit Service based on risk assessment

which gives assurance on the effective operation of controls.

Performance indicator: Delivery of a programme of internal audits, in accordance with the D/ETE annual risk-based audit plan.