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Capability Reviews announced for three more departments

Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell today announced a further three departments undertaking ‘Capability Reviews’. These are the Crown Prosecution Service, Department of Health and Department for Transport.

The reviews aim to improve the capability of the Civil Service to meet today's delivery challenges and to be ready for tomorrow's.

The reviews will consider capability in the Civil Service in three key areas – leadership, strategy and delivery. Each review aims to identify where departments need to improve and will include key actions which will address these areas.

Sir Gus said:

‘We are well underway with the Capability Review programme now, showing our determination and how we remain on track to develop a world class Civil Service for the 21st century.

‘We have already published the findings of the first seven departments' reviews. As well as recognising the areas where departments do well these reviews demonstrated where we need to improve. The departments are now implementing challenging plans to address these areas. The Cabinet Office will continue to review progress and provide support to help ensure departments are on track to deliver’.

The review teams have been drawn from the private sector, the wider public sector and board-level members of other government departments.

The findings of the Capability Reviews for the three departments announced today will be published in summer 2007.

Notes to editors

1. More information about the Capability Reviews is available at www.civilservice.gov.uk/capabilityreviews.
2. Each review is carried out by the Capability Reviews Team in the Cabinet Office with a team of external reviewers.
3. The Capability Reviews for the Department for Constitutional Affairs, Department for Education and Skills, Home Office and Department for Work and Pensions, Cabinet Office, Department for Communities and Local Government and Department for Trade and Industry have all been published.
4. The Capability Reviews for Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Ministry of Defence, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development will be published in spring 2007.

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