asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on the financial management initiative.

Good progress is being made, but work on the White Paper reporting on Departments' programmes of work was held up somewhat by the general election. We hope to publish it soon, although it may not now be possible to do so this month.

If it is not possible to publish the White Paper this month, will my hon. Friend confirm that it will be possible to do so before September? Will he also confirm that it is vital to have good and efficient people in the Civil Service, and good systems, and that senior Ministers should take an active interest in management? What will the Department do to ensure that this happens?

I assure my hon. Friend that the drive for better management has the full support of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, who continues to take an active and close personal interest in this work. Since the election my right hon. Friend has drawn this issue to the attention of Ministers who are in charge of Departments and asked them to give it their personal attention.

What progress is being made with the introduction of MINIS, or similar management and accounting information systems, in Whitehall?

Considerable progress is being made. My hon. Friend will know that the adoption of systems similar to MINIS is part of the financial management initiative. I assure him that good progress is being made.