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Strategies and objectives: spending review 2004

Here you will be able to access information about our aim, strategic objectives and targets for the Department in the context of the Spending Review 2004.

Public Service Agreement and aim
Objectives and Performance Targets
Objective I
Objective II
Objective III
Objective IV
Who is responsible for delivery?

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Public Service Agreement

PDF file of 'DCA Public Service Agreement 2004' pdf 31kb [PDF 31kb]

Aim: Upholding justice, rights and democracy.

Objectives and Performance Targets

Objective I: To provide criminal, civil, family and administrative justice systems that command public respect and confidence.

1. Improve the delivery of justice by increasing the number of crimes for which an offender is brought to justice to 1.25 million by 2007-08. Target contributing to the Criminal Justice System PSA.

2. Reassure the public, reducing the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour, and building confidence in the Criminal Justice System without compromising fairness.Target contributing to the Criminal Justice System PSA.

3. Reduce unfounded asylum claims as part of a wider strategy to tackle abuse of the immigration laws and promote controlled legal migration. Joint with the Home Office.

Objective II: To ensure that the public, especially the socially excluded and vulnerable, have access to excellent services, which enable them to exercise their rights in law and understand, exercise and fulfil their responsibilities.

4. By 2009-10, increase the proportion of care cases being completed in the courts within
40 weeks by 10%.

5. To achieve earlier and more proportionate resolution of legal problems and disputes by:

increasing advice and assistance to help people resolve their disputes earlier and more effectively;
increasing the opportunities for people involved in court cases to settle their disputes out of court; and
reducing delays in resolving those disputes that need to be decided by the courts.

Objective III: To enable the development of democratic institutions of government that command public confidence.

Objective IV: To create a modern, efficient and effective department that has the capacity and capability to deliver excellent public services.

Following the Gershon efficiency review, departments are expected to report progress being made against efficiency targets. The efficiency technical note explains how our savings will be measured, in order to monitor progress and, ultimately, to be able to make judgements about whether efficiency targets have been met or not. The departmental efficiency review contributes to strategic objective IV but is not a PSA target in its own right. This note was published on 5 December 2005.

| 5 December 2005 |
Technical notes for efficiency review targets [PDF 171kb, 18 pages]

Who is Responsible for Delivery?

The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs is responsible for the delivery of this PSA.
Targets 1 and 2 contribute to the Criminal Justice System PSA with delivery responsibility
shared with the Home Secretary and the Attorney General. The Secretary of State for
Constitutional Affairs and the Home Secretary are jointly responsible for target 3.

The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs is also responsible for delivering the
Department for Constitutional Affairs agreed efficiency target set out in the Home Office,
Constitutional Affairs and Law Officers' Departments chapter of the 2004 Spending Review
White Paper.

| Amended December 2005 |
Technical Notes for Public Service Agreement targets [PDF 52kb, 8 pages]