Thank you for accepting reappointment as Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor. I am writing to set out the challenges ahead for Government and in particular for your Department.
As a Government the key overarching domestic challenges for us are: to build on our unprecedented record of economic achievement ensuring our country can compete and win in the global knowledge economy, to take key decisions in the coming period to ensure the long term security and prosperity of our country and its people, to sustain the momentum of public service modernisation showing how investment and the programme of reform is delivering real improvements for ordinary hard working families, and to underline our Government's commitment to social justice through policies to expand opportunity and tackle the most deep seated causes and symptoms of social exclusion.
Given this context, I am therefore asking all Secretaries of State to identify the key challenges for their Departments and how they propose to deliver against these.
For the Department of Constitutional Affairs my priorities are as follows.
First, you should continue to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the courts by focussing on how to bring about speedy, simple, summary justice. This will include implementing pre-court diversions as soon as the review is complete, by improving plea to trial times, by reducing ineffective trials and making the best use of new technology. There should be more specialisation of the courts to tackle issues like anti-social behaviour, drugs and domestic violence, building on notable successes, like the Community Justice Centre in Liverpool and supported by increased specialisation and professionalism of the magistracy. You should work with the Home Secretary to implement the conditional cautions pilots in seven criminal justice areas by the end of 2006, as part of delivering the Respect Action Plan.
Second, you should implement legal aid reforms which ensure an effective, fair system that gives the taxpayer value for money and provides access to justice for all who need it. This will include implementing the necessary reforms emanating from the forthcoming Carter review.
Third, you should continue to implement the Government's constitutional reforms, including the establishment of the Supreme Court and the setting up of the Judicial Appointments Commission.
Fourth, you should devise a strategy, working with the judiciary, which maintains the effectiveness of the Human Rights Act, and improves the public's confidence in the legislation.
Fifth, you should manage policy on electoral reform and administration.
Finally you should work closely with Jack Straw under his leadership to:
Deliver the next stage of House of Lords reform. The objective should be to achieve reform which preserves the primacy of the Commons, avoids gridlock in Parliament, and which commands as high a degree of consensus as possible;
Reform party funding arrangements, taking account of Sir Hayden Philip's review.
By the end of June, I would welcome your preliminary assessment of key challenges across your Department, including the key milestones and risks in each area, and the main actions you propose to meet these challenges. As a first step, I would be grateful if you come back to me by the end of May on how you have allocated responsibility for key issues and objectives among your Ministerial team. I am keen that we make the very best use of our excellent team in Government.
Your plans will, of course, need to be set against the background of lower growth in funding than in recent years. This means the Zero Based and Efficiency Reviews currently underway, combined with Departmental Capability Reviews, will be a critical input, and I would like you to continue to give these your personal attention to ensure that the department's spending is effective and fit for purpose as we move forward.
Thank you for the work you have done in post so far. I look forward to discussing the challenges with you again.
Tony Blair
May 2006
