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The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr. Andrew Smith): I am today able to announce the annual performance targets in 2003–04 for the Child Support Agency, one of the Department for Work and Pensions' Executive Agencies.
The targets I have agreed are set out below.
Further information on the plans of the Child Support Agency in 2003–04 is contained in its business plan, which has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.
Reducing poverty through compliance:
The Agency will increase the proportion of new applications that result in maintenance calculations for:
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Old scheme cases by 3 percentage points; and
New scheme cases by 23 percentage points.
Case Compliance—New Scheme
To collect child maintenance and/or arrears from at least 78 per cent. of all
cases with a maintenance liability using the Agency's collection service.
Cash compliance—New Scheme
To collect at least 75 per cent. of child maintenance and/or arrears due to be paid through the Agency's collection service.
Cash and Case Collection—New Scheme
To develop individual targets for case and cash compliance to measure the collection of current maintenance separately from arrears collection.
Accuracy on the last decision made for all maintenance calculations to be checked in the year to be correct to the nearest penny in at least 90 per cent. of cases.
Throughput—New Scheme
Payment arrangements for new scheme cases will have been established on average within 6 weeks.
Customer perception
To develop a customer perception target for introduction in 2004–05.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Dr. Lewis Moonie): The Chief Executive of the Pay and Personnel Agency is responsible for providing civilian pay, pensions and personnel information services for the Ministry Defence as defined in the agency framework document. The Agency will be set the following key performance targets for 2003–04:
Increase the number of customer forms available on line from 17 in 2002–03 to 25 by March 2004.
Provide customer service and business support for the Human Resources Management System (HRMS) by March 2004.
Improve customer satisfaction from 76 per cent. in 2000–01 and 85 per cent. in 2002–03 to 90 per cent. in 2004–05. [Note: this target is measured every other year and will next be measured in 2004].
Increase the proportion of the Agency covered by a single ISO 9001 2000 quality certification from 85 per cent. in 2002–03 to 100 per cent. by March 2004.
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Achieve Initial Gate approval for the future pay system by September 2003.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Dr. Lewis Moonie): Key targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Defence Bills Agency (DBA) for the Financial Year 2003–04. The targets, which build on the already high standards of service provided by the Agency since its formation in 1996, are as follows:
To raise 98 per cent. of invoices accurately within four days of receipt of a correctly authorised claimable document.
To ensure that the average percentage of overdue collectable debt due to the Department does not exceed 35 per cent. of total collectable debt.
To deliver 99 per cent. of the required accounting and financial information feed to the Departmental Financial Management System portal within one working day, 100 per cent. within two days.
To make a progressive improvement of at least 1per cent. in the overall level of customer satisfaction over a baseline of 76 per cent. achieved in 2002–03.
To demonstrate at least a 1 per cent. improvement in year-on-year operating efficiency by 31 March 2004, as part of a longer term continuous improvement programme.
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Mr. Adam Ingram): The United Kingdom's chemical protection programme is designed to protect against the use of chemical weapons. Such a programme is permitted by the Chemical Weapons Convention, with which the UK is fully compliant. Under the terms of the Convention, we are required to provide information annually to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). In accordance with the Government's commitment to openness, I am placing in the Library of the House a copy of the summary that has been provided to the Organisation outlining the UK's chemical protection programme for 2002. To increase transparency, the format of this year's summary has been revised and for the first time information on civil protection is included.
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Mr. Adam Ingram): A business review of the Defence Vetting process is to be carried out by the Ministry of Defence.
Preliminary work has defined the scope of the study. The second phase will begin shortly and should be completed by the autumn. The aim of the review is to examine the function, role, operation, funding and organisation of the Defence Vetting Agency, seek to identify key objectives and performance and to determine whether its current status is most appropriate for future needs.
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The review team will consult with a range of stakeholders during the course of the review including MOD and single service sponsors, TUs, other Government departments and other relevant bodies. The Ministry of Defence is interested also to hear the views of other organisations or individuals who would like to make a contribution to the review. Those wishing to do so should send their contributions by 31 May 2003 to:
The Defence Vetting Process Business Review Team
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London WC2H 8LD
The Minister for Energy and Construction (Mr. Brian Wilson): I am today announcing that my Department is undertaking a consultation on the future need for the Office of the Subsidence Adviser. My Department would welcome comments which should be submitted to Coal Liabilities Unit, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET. Such comments should be submitted no later than 30 May.