11. The Department underestimated the challenges of providing redress for hardship suffered in a complex industry 20 years ago. It assumed incorrectly that the scheme would be routine to administer because it had operated (through the Redundancy Payments Service) the earlier ex gratia scheme for former distant water trawlermen without any significant difficulties. But payments in that scheme had been linked to length of service with individual employers, which was relatively straightforward to verify since the Department had access to records of time spent with each employer. The scheme announced in July 2000 sought to link payments to time spent working in Icelandic waters, where evidence was far harder to obtain.[15]

12. The Department acknowledged that it had not understood the nature of the industry before it began designing the scheme rules and planning for implementation of the scheme. It held just one meeting with representatives of former trawlermen on the scheme's rules between announcing the scheme and opening it to claims, and did not consult with industry experts or any other potential sources of information before the scheme opened. Much of the information that the Department relied upon in arriving at the scheme's rules, for example the initial list of qualifying vessels, had been provided by representatives from the Hull Branch of the British Fishermen's Association, but the Department did not take steps to verify this information until too late. While these representatives were knowledgeable, they did not speak for the industry as a whole, and could not have been expected to.[16]

13. Trawlermen had waited over 20 years for compensation and the Department was under pressure to get the scheme operating quickly. Departmental officials had worked on options for a scheme from May 1998, but did not begin detailed consideration of how the scheme would be administered until July 2000, the month the scheme was announced. Officials responsible for policy did not involve those who would be responsible for administering the scheme until one month before the scheme announcement. The Department suggested officials needed to make clear to senior management and Ministers the practical implications for delivery of policy objectives if tight deadlines were involved.[17]

14. Although this scheme differed from the Coal Health Compensation Schemes recently examined by this Committee, the Department acknowledged that there were parallels in the problems encountered. Both cases were complex, and it had not stood back sufficiently, consulted properly, or conducted proper risk and project planning. The skills and experience of the people responsible for designing and running these projects was the key to their success. The Department, in keeping with efforts in other parts of the Civil Service, was trying to make sure new graduate entrants were given operational experience early on in their careers. The current Professional Skills for Government programme, a training and development programme supported by the Cabinet Secretary, is intended to help broaden the experience of officials and inculcate programme and project management skills.[18]

16   Qq 14, 15, 19, 23, 53, 54 Back

17   Q 3; C&AG's Report, paras 3.4, 3.5 Back

18   Qq 4, 47-50 Back