The Justice Committee decided to undertake a high level inquiry looking at the overall structure and budget of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and its associated public bodies.
The inquiry isf ocusing on the potential contribution of further structural changes to future efficiency savings and improved performance.
The inquiry seeks to answer the following questions:
- What should the core objectives be of the MoJ?
- Which functions provided by the MoJ are essential, and which could be best provided by others or not at all?
- Does the MoJ have sufficient understanding of costs to enable it to model the impact of future changes?
- What changes to the current structure of the MoJ could contribute to improved performance or efficiency savings?
- Does the MoJ have the right processes and measures in place to manage robustly the organisations it sponsors?
- Will the transition of the administration of legal aid from the Legal Services Commission to an executive agency within the MoJ lead to more effective and efficient performance?
- Does the relationship between the MoJ and NOMs, and the relationship between prison and probation, contribute to effective and efficient working?
- How effectively does the MoJ use IT, and does the MoJ have the right balance between centrally and locally commissioned IT?
- Does the MoJ have procedures in place in order to realise its objective of having more services delivered by the voluntary and community and private sectors?
- Does the MoJ have the necessary skills to ensure value for money contracts for the public purse and to effectively manage those contracts?
The Committee sent out a call for written evidence in July 2011.
Evidence sessions started in December 2011.
Further information