Public service agreement

Last updated

Public service agreements (PSAs) detailed the aims and objectives of UK government departments for a three-year period. PSAs were abolished in June 2010 by the Coalition Government. [1]

Such agreements also "describe[d] how targets will be achieved and how performances against these targets will be measured". The agreements consisted of a departmental aim, a set of objectives and targets, and details of who is responsible for delivery.

Previous PSA's

The 30 previous PSAs are:

  1. Raise the productivity of the UK economy
  2. Improve the skills of the population, on the way to ensuring a better skills base by 2020
  3. Ensure controlled, fair migration that protects the public and contributes to economic growth
  4. Promote science and innovation in the UK
  5. Deliver reliable and efficient transport networks that support economic growth
  6. Deliver the conditions for business success in the UK
  7. Improve the economic performance of all English regions and reduce the gap in economic growth rates between regions
  8. Maximise employment opportunity for all
  9. Halve the number of children in poverty by 2010–11, on the way to eradicating child poverty by 2020
  10. Raise the educational achievement of all children and young people
  11. Narrow the gap in educational achievement between children from low income and disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers
  12. Improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people
  13. Improve children and young people's safety
  14. Increase the number of children and young people on the path to success
  15. Address the disadvantage that individuals experience because of their gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief
  16. Increase the proportion of socially excluded adults in settled accommodation and employment, education or training
  17. Tackle poverty and promote greater independence and wellbeing in later life
  18. Promote better health and wellbeing for all
  19. Ensure better care for all
  20. Increase long term housing supply and affordability
  21. Build more cohesive, empowered and active communities
  22. Deliver a successful Olympic Games and Paralympic Games with a sustainable legacy and get more children and young people taking part in high quality PE and sport
  23. Make communities safer
  24. Deliver a more effective, transparent and responsive Criminal Justice System for victims and the public
  25. Reduce the harm caused by alcohol and drugs
  26. Reduce the risk to the UK and its interests overseas from international terrorism
  27. Lead the global effort to avoid dangerous climate change
  28. Secure a healthy natural environment for today and the future
  29. Reduce poverty in poorer countries through quicker progress towards the Millennium Development Goals
  30. Reduce the impact of conflict through enhanced UK and international efforts

Related Research Articles

Extreme poverty Condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs

Extreme poverty, deep poverty, abject poverty, absolute poverty, destitution, or penury, is the most severe type of poverty, defined by the United Nations (UN) as "a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to services" Historically, other definitions have been proposed within the United Nations.

2004 London mayoral election 2004 election for the Mayor of London

The 2004 election to the post of Mayor of London took place on 10 June 2004. It was being held on the same day as other local elections and the UK part of the 2004 European Parliament elections, so Londoners had a total of five votes on three ballot papers. Polling opened at 07:00 local time, and closed at 22:00. See: 2004 UK elections. The Supplementary Vote system was used.

Millennium Development Goals Eight international development goals for the year 2015 by the United Nations

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were eight international development goals for the year 2015 that had been established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. These were based on the OECD DAC International Development Goals agreed by Development Ministers in the "Shaping the 21st Century Strategy". The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) succeeded the MDGs in 2016.

From 1947 to 2017, the Indian economy was premised on the concept of planning. This was carried through the Five-Year Plans, developed, executed, and monitored by the Planning Commission (1951-2014) and the NITI Aayog (2015-2017). With the prime minister as the ex-officio chairman, the commission has a nominated deputy chairman, who holds the rank of a cabinet minister. Montek Singh Ahluwalia is the last deputy chairman of the commission. The Twelfth Plan completed its term in March 2017. Prior to the Fourth Plan, the allocation of state resources was based on schematic patterns rather than a transparent and objective mechanism, which led to the adoption for the Gadgil formula in 1969. Revised versions of the formula have been used since then to determine the allocation of central assistance for state plans. The new government led by Narendra Modi, elected in 2014, has announced the dissolution of the Planning Commission, and its replacement by a think tank called the NITI Aayog.

Poverty reduction Measures to reduce poverty permanently

Poverty reduction, poverty relief, or poverty alleviation, is a set of measures, both economic and humanitarian, that are intended to permanently lift people out of poverty.

Decent work

Decent work is employment that "respects the fundamental rights of the human person as well as the rights of workers in terms of conditions of work safety and remuneration. ... respect for the physical and mental integrity of the worker in the exercise of his/her employment."

Convention of Scottish Local Authorities National association of Scottish councils

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) is the national association of Scottish councils and acts as an employers' association for its 32 member authorities.

Energy poverty is lack of access to modern energy services. It refers to the situation of large numbers of people in developing countries and some people in developed countries whose well-being is negatively affected by very low consumption of energy, use of dirty or polluting fuels, and excessive time spent collecting fuel to meet basic needs. It is inversely related to access to modern energy services, although improving access is only one factor in efforts to reduce energy poverty. Energy poverty is distinct from fuel poverty, which focuses solely on the issue of affordability.

Skills for Life was the national strategy in England for improving adult literacy, language (ESOL) and numeracy skills and was established as part of the wider national Skills Strategy to increase the numbers of young people and adults with adequate skills. The strategy was launched by the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in March 2001.

Local Economic Development (LED) is an approach to economic development, of note in the developing world that, as its name implies, places importance on activities in and by cities, districts and regions. Local economic development combines economic development activities, urban planning, infrastructure development and social development activities to improve local conditions. LED encompasses a range of disciplines including physical planning, economics and marketing, all with the goal of building up the economic capacity of a local area to improve its economic future and the quality of life for all.

Social protection

Social protection, as defined by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, is concerned with preventing, managing, and overcoming situations that adversely affect people's well-being. Social protection consists of policies and programs designed to reduce poverty and vulnerability by promoting efficient labour markets, diminishing people's exposure to risks, and enhancing their capacity to manage economic and social risks, such as unemployment, exclusion, sickness, disability, and old age. It is one of the targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 aimed at promoting greater equality.

The Philippine poverty rate decreased from 23.3% in 2015 to 16.7% in 2018, and is expected to decline further in the following years. This shows that even though the economy has recently slowed, the Philippines is still making progress in poverty reduction.

Sustainable Development Goals Set of 17 global development goals defined by the United Nations for the year 2030

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all". The SDGs were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and are intended to be achieved by the year 2030. They are included in a UN Resolution called the 2030 Agenda or what is colloquially known as Agenda 2030. The SDGs were developed in the Post-2015 Development Agenda as the future global development framework to succeed the Millennium Development Goals which ended in 2015.

MDG Achievement Fund

The Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund (MDG-F) was an international cooperation mechanism committed to eradicating poverty and inequality and to accelerating progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) worldwide. Its aim was to improve livelihoods and to influence public policy, which made it responsive to the needs of the poorest populations.

The Closing the Gap framework is an Australian government strategy that aims to reduce disadvantage among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, based on seven targets. From adoption in 2008, after meetings with the Close the Gap social justice campaign, until 2018, the federal and state and territory governments worked together via the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) on the framework, with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet producing a report at the end of each year analysing progress on each of its seven targets.

Nigerian Capital Development Fund (NCDF)

The Nigerian Capital Development Fund is an independent social investment financial intermediary institution. This hybrid organization was set up mainly to address the challenges of poverty in low income rural communities in Nigeria. The institution mobilizes capital from the public and private sectors to invest in projects, businesses and social enterprises with the intention to generate good financial returns and measurable positive social-environmental impact, as well as act as a champion to help increase awareness and confidence on the advantages of impact investing.

TVET is education and training which provides knowledge and skills for employment. TVET uses formal, non-formal and informal learning. TVET is recognised to be a crucial vehicle for social equity, inclusion and sustainable development.

Lagos Food Bank Initiative (LFBI) is a non-profit, nutrition focused initiative committed to tackling hunger, reducing food waste and solving the problem of malnutrition through targeted programs that seek to improve the nutrition/food intake of pregnant women and their infants who are not able to get the required nutrient during pregnancy and breastfeeding of their babies. It is an non governmental organisation that fights hunger and malnutrition through grassroots efforts that collects food and cash donations for onward redistribution to the underserved in the society. LFBI is specifically committed to Sdg 1 and Sdg 2 and aims to achieve their goals by creating, supplying, and strengthening new food banks and in all the twenty (20) Local Governments Areas in Lagos State, Nigeria.

Cambodia remains on the list of developing countries, despite recent economic growth. Although Cambodia is undergoing significant urbanization, most of its citizens continue to live in rural areas and experience poverty. Cambodia has made progress in combating poverty, and many citizens have risen just above the poverty line, but there is still a high number of people experiencing the devastating effects of poverty, including malnutrition and lack of access to basic health care services. Statistics from 2014 showed that about 13.5% of the country's total population continue to live in extreme poverty, down from 53% in 2004.  

Sustainable Development Goal 8 A global goal to promote decent work and economic growth by 2030

Sustainable Development Goal 8 is about "decent work and economic growth" and is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals which were established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The full title is to: "Foster sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all." Progress towards targets will be measured, monitored and evaluated by 17 indicators.

References