Second Validation Compendium Report

Public Service Agreements (PSAs) are performance targets used to monitor departmental performance, improve service delivery and aid government accountability. Following on from a previous report (HCP 476, session 2004-05, ISBN 010293259X) published in March 2005, this NAO report examines the progress made by 18 government departments and the cross cutting Sure Start programme to establish robust data systems to measure and report performance against their 2003-06 PSA targets. It also highlights successful practices which have wider applicability and can improve the management of data systems across government. The report finds that progress has been variable in developing sound systems, and that difficulties must be overcome in order to realise the full benefits of PSA targets.