House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 12 Jun 2000 (pt 5)

Performance Indicators

Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Solicitor-General if he will make a statement on how each of the agencies and non-departmental bodies relating to his Department performed against their key performance indicators in (a) the last year and (b) the previous two years. [125332]

The Solicitor-General: A summary of performance for work in England and Wales is set out in the tables.

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Treasury Solicitor's Department

1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000

Target Target Outcome Target Outcome Target Outcome(2)

To achieve annual efficiency savings 2.5% Achieved 2.5% Achieved 3.0% Achieved

To recover the full operating costs for the Agency's chargeable services 100% Achieved 100% Achieved 100% Achieved

To achieve x% level of customer satisfaction in advisory services 90% Achieved 95-100% Achieved >95% Achieved

To achieve x% reduction in average unit cost per chargeable hour (litigation) 2.5% Achieved 2.5% Achieved 2.5% Achieved

To achieve x% reduction in the average unit cost per case (Bona Vacantia) 2.5% Achieved 2.5% Not achieved 2.5% Not achieved(3)

To achieve a minimum average number of chargeable hours per full-time caseholder per year (litigation) of x 1,100 Achieved 1,150 Achieved 1,150 Achieved

To achieve instructions in at least x new litigation cases 8,000 Achieved Discontinued Discontinued

To achieve 20% improvement on 1998-99 level of income recovery from clients within 30 days of their receipt of a validated invoice -- -- 75% Achieved 90% Not achieved

To increase the proportion of undisputed supplier invoices paid in accordance with terms or 30 days -- -- 95% Achieved 100% Not achieved

	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000
Target	Target	Outcome	Target	Outcome	Target	Outcome(2)
To achieve annual efficiency savings	2.5%	Achieved	2.5%	Achieved	3.0%	Achieved
To recover the full operating costs for the Agency's chargeable services	100%	Achieved	100%	Achieved	100%	Achieved
To achieve x% level of customer satisfaction in advisory services	90%	Achieved	95-100%	Achieved	>95%	Achieved
To achieve x% reduction in average unit cost per chargeable hour (litigation)	2.5%	Achieved	2.5%	Achieved	2.5%	Achieved
To achieve x% reduction in the average unit cost per case (Bona Vacantia)	2.5%	Achieved	2.5%	Not achieved	2.5%	Not achieved(3)
To achieve a minimum average number of chargeable hours per full-time caseholder per year (litigation) of x	1,100	Achieved	1,150	Achieved	1,150	Achieved
To achieve instructions in at least x new litigation cases	8,000	Achieved	Discontinued	Discontinued
To achieve 20% improvement on 1998-99 level of income recovery from clients within 30 days of their receipt of a validated invoice	--	--	75%	Achieved	90%	Not achieved
To increase the proportion of undisputed supplier invoices paid in accordance with terms or 30 days	--	--	95%	Achieved	100%	Not achieved

(2) The information in this column is provisional, pending the preparation of the final accounts for 1999-2000.

(3) Since the Key Performance Target for Bona Vacantia Division was introduced it has become apparent that the methodology used to assess the number of cases is statistically biased towards non-achievement as it makes no allowance for the differing complexity of individual cases. The target will remain as set for 1999-2000 but the baseline against which performance is judged will be assessed and, if necessary, adjusted to recognise the differing complexity of cases.

Note:

Further information on performance against these targets can be found in the Executive Agencies 1999 Report (Cmnd 4658).

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Government Property Lawyers

Target 1997-98 1998-99(4) 1999-2000

To recover the full operating costs of the Agency Achieved -- --

To receive at least 4,350 new instructions from its clients Not achieved -- --

To achieve 95 completions per case holder Not achieved -- --

To maintain and improve the quality of service, in particular by keeping the proportion of cases completed satisfactorily (that is, without requiring rectification by reason of any fault of the Agency) on or before the target dated at or above 99.5% Achieved -- --

Over the three-year period, 1996-97 to 1998-99--To achieve a reduction in operating costs of an average of 2.5% per year in real terms taking 1996-97 as the base year Not achieved -- --

Target	1997-98	1998-99(4)	1999-2000
To recover the full operating costs of the Agency	Achieved	--	--
To receive at least 4,350 new instructions from its clients	Not achieved	--	--
To achieve 95 completions per case holder	Not achieved	--	--
To maintain and improve the quality of service, in particular by keeping the proportion of cases completed satisfactorily (that is, without requiring rectification by reason of any fault of the Agency) on or before the target dated at or above 99.5%	Achieved	--	--
Over the three-year period, 1996-97 to 1998-99--To achieve a reduction in operating costs of an average of 2.5% per year in real terms taking 1996-97 as the base year	Not achieved	--	--

(4) The Government Property Lawyers Agency was the subject of a Quinquennial Review from November 1997 to November 1998 and no formal targets were set for 1998-99 pending its outcome. The eventual outcome was that the Agency should close by 30 September 1999 and as a result no further key performance indicators were set.

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Serious Fraud Office

The Serious Fraud Office's key performance indicators were published on 17 December 1998 as part of the Law Officer's Department's Public Service Agreement. They are:

(i) caseload;

(ii) time from accepting a case to completing investigations; and

(iii) length of the prosecution stage between transfer/committal and verdict.

The targets set were:

(i) to increase caseload from 73 cases per year in 1998-99 to 77 cases per year within resources provided;

(ii) to reduce average time from accepting a case and completing investigations from 18 months in 1998-99 to 17.5 months;

(iii) to reduce the average length of the prosecution stage between transfer/committal and verdict from 16.5 months in 1998-99 to 16 months.

Outturn data which show that the Office has met its key targets are set out in the following table. Figures for the year 1997-98 are included to enable comparison.

Financial year	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000
Caseload	78	73	85
Investigation (months)	19.3	18.0	15.3
Prosecution (months)	--	16.5	14.4

Crown Prosecution Service

The CPS timeliness performance targets for which comparable data are available are as follows:

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						Percentage
	1999-2000		1998-99		1997-98
	Target	Outcome	Target	Outcome	Target	Outcome
Advance information	83	86.6	80	82.3	80	77.3
Committal papers	60	62.7	60	51.9	60	50.6
Briefs to Counsel	80	71.1	80	67.8	80	66.3
Witness Expenses	100	97.5	100	95	100	93
Complaints	87	88.3	85	87.7	85	86.7

Note:

Further information on performance against targets can be found in the Crown Prosecution Service's Annual Reports 1998-99 (House of Commons Paper 675), and 1997-98 (House of Commons Paper 839).

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DEFENCE

Non-deployable Estate

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the terms of reference for the review of the non-deployable estate; when he expects it to be complete; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [121940]

Mr. Spellar: As part of the continuing effort to maximise value for money from the Defence Budget, the Army is currently engaged in an internal review of non-deployable posts. The review is due to be completed in the autumn. There are no formal terms of reference for the review, which is being undertaken by the Army chain of command. The aim is to carry out an audit of military posts in the non-deployable Army, in order to inform judgments on the requirement for and priorities for the deployment of military manpower. There are no plans to publish the outcome of the review.

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Special Investigations Branch

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 January 2000, Official Report, column 67W, on the Royal Irish Regiment (a) for what reasons the report of the Special Investigations Branch of the Royal Military Police has not been made and (b) how many of the sub-sections of the Question he is in a position to respond to. [123885]

Mr. Spellar: The investigation by Special Investigations Branch, Royal Military Police is now complete and I can confirm the following information.

There have been four Parliamentary Questions on this matter including this one and two Parliamentary Inquiries. The photograph was taken on Monday 12 July at Drumadd Barracks, Armagh and shows 59 Officers and soldiers from F Company the 8th Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment (8 R IRISH). The photoshoot was supervised by a Major who took some of the photographs before joining the Company for further photographs, which were

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taken by a Warrant Officer. The flag was produced by a soldier of the Company who had just come off duty. A commercial photographic service establishment in Belfast developed the film and approximately 40 copies were made and given to members within F Company. No disciplinary action is to be taken against the officer but formal administrative action procedures have been initiated.

Photographs can be taken in all sorts of circumstances which can subsequently be misinterpreted. F Company was deployed on 12 July along with other Army units precisely in order to prevent sectarian violence and it is wrong to label a whole Regiment, or the individuals in the photograph, as bigoted. We expect the highest standards of conduct from all soldiers, and in particular that they should be aware of community sensitivities in Northern Ireland. During 1999 the Royal Irish Regiment collected over £133,000 for cross-community charities. 8 R IRISH also won the prestigious Wilkinson's Sword of Peace for its cross-community work in Armagh. These are examples of their cross-community activities and are not indicative of a biased Regiment.

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