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British Forces Post Office Agency
Miss Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the British Forces Post Office Agency for financial year 2001-02. [160863]
Mr. Spellar: The Chief Executive of the British Forces Post Office Agency has set the following Key Targets for 2001-02.
- Key Target 1a
- To meet the customers' requirements as negotiated and agreed in Customer Supplier Agreements.
- Key Target 1b
- To achieve an increased level of customer satisfaction.
- Key Target 2
- To achieve an overall 3 per cent. increase in efficiency.
- Key Target 3
- To reduce the level of customer compensation attributable to BFPO by 3 per cent.
Defence Transport and Movements Agency
Miss Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Defence Transport and Movements Agency for financial year 2001-02. [160864]
Mr. Spellar: The Chief Executive of the Defence Transport and Movements Agency has been set the following Key Targets for 2001-02:
- Key Target 1
- To meet the customers' requirements as negotiated and agreed in Customer Supplier Agreements.
- Key Target 1a
- 94 per cent. or more of Agency transactions and services provided under call-off contracts to be within agreed performance criteria.
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- Key Target 1b
- No individual Agency service or call-off contract to be less than 90 per cent. of agreed performance criteria.
- Key Target 2
- To achieve an overall 3 per cent. increase in efficiency.
- Key Target 3
- To demonstrate improved net added value.
- Key Target 4
- To achieve at least a satisfactory rating in the provision of operational transport and movements support.
Meteorological Office
Miss Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Meteorological Office for 2001-02. [160865]
Dr. Moonie: The Chief Executive of the Met Office is responsible for providing meteorological and related environmental services, including climate change prediction, to a wide range of customers, including the armed forces, Government, civil aviation, shipping, emergency services, media, commerce, industry and the general public. It also undertakes research related to meteorology and climate. This year, the Met Office will be set the following challenging targets:
- To increase the value of the Numerical Weather Prediction Index by at least 2.0 points from the level achieved on 31 March 2001, by 31 March 2002;
Key Target 2:
- To achieve a value for the Service Quality Index of at least 107.8 on 31 March 2002, from a baseline of 100.0 on 31 March 1997, in line with customer requirements;
Key Target 3:
- To achieve a value for the Efficiency Index of at least 111.6 by 31 March 2003, from a baseline of 100.0 on 31 March 2000, and to achieve an increase of at least 1.4 Index points during 2001-02;
Key Target 4:
- To achieve a positive return on capital employed in 2001-02, while returning an operating profit of at least £14.4 million before strategic investments;
Key Target 5:
- To achieve strategic investments in 2001-02 of £15.9 million ± £1.5 million;
Key Target 6:
- To achieve a total contribution from commercial activities in 2001-02 of at least £4.4 million;
Key Target 7:
- To achieve a value for the Staff Skills Index of at least 107.5 by 31 March 2004, from a baseline of 100.0 as at 31 March 2001.
Defence Storage and Distribution Agency
Mrs. Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency for financial year 2001-02. [160866]
9 May 2001 : Column: 194W
Mr. Spellar: The Chief Executive of the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency has been set the following Key Targets for 2001-02:
- To meet the customers' requirements as negotiated and agreed in Customer Supplier Agreements.
Key Target 1a:
95 per cent. of all issues to consumers to meet Supply Chain Pipeline Times.
Key Target 1b:
98 per cent. of all receipts to be processed within agreed time limits.
Key Target 2:
- To demonstrate continuous improvement in efficiency.
Key Target 2a:
To achieve an overall 5 per cent. reduction in the unit cost of output.
Key Target 2b:
To establish an accurate baseline cost of process output to be used as measurement in financial year 2002-03.
Key Target 3:
- The value of inventory written off to be less than agreed levels.
United Kingdom Hydrographic Office
Mrs. Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office for the financial year 2001-02. [160867]
Dr. Moonie: The key targets set for the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office in 2001-02 are as follows:
- 1. Publish 100 per cent. of priority safety information within the stated time scales from the receipt of the original data.
- 2. Deliver defence specific outputs as defined in the Tasking Authorisation Forms. All agreed outputs delivered to time and quality.
- 3. Improve completeness and delivery of commercial orders. 95 per cent. of orders shipped to schedule and 98 per cent. line completeness at first pick by March 2002.
- 4. Design, build and populate the UKHO's hydrographic data management infrastructure. Data population to start by 2002.
- 5. Break even taking one year with another and achieve an average return on capital employed during the plan period of 7.5 per cent.
- 6. Achieve efficiency measure of 5 per cent. growth in "value added" per member of staff (based on financial year 2000-01) by financial year 2005-06.
Mrs. Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the quinquennial review of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office will take place. [160868]
Dr. Moonie: The quinquennial review (QQR) of the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) will begin this month. The aim of the review is to make recommendations on the future means of delivery of the functions, products and services provided by the UKHO, assessing both the business environment and the strategic capability of the
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organisation and how the UKHO can best exploit its position in the future. In doing this, phase 1 of the review, which is expected to be completed by mid July, will:
- conduct a challenging examination of current arrangements, taking into account the requirements and views of customers, staff and other stakeholders;
identify organisational and structural options for future product and service provision and provide costed options for change where this is considered appropriate in order to ensure responsive, coherent and cost-effective product and service delivery.
The review will be carried out by a small team which will consult closely with the UKHO and with major stakeholders, and liaise with organisations within and outside of Government that could contribute to the review or be affected by it. The Ministry of Defence is also keen to hear the views of other organisations or individuals with an interest. These can be sent to: UKHO QQR Team, UK Hydrographic Office, Admiralty Way, Taunton, Somerset TA1 2DN. (e-mail: peterhobson@ukho.gov.uk). There will also be an opportunity for feedback on the UKHO website at www.ukho.gov.uk.
Service Pensions
Mr. Robert Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will make an announcement in respect of his review of armed forces pensions. [160475]
Dr. Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State for Defence on 16 March 2001, Official Report, column 756W.
War Widows Pensions
Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of (a) the number of people affected and (b) the cost to the Exchequer of re-instating Army widow pensions to those widows who lost their pension on remarriage, prior to the change of policy. [160528]
Dr. Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 27 November 2000, Official Report, columns 422-23W and 7 February 2001, Official Report, columns 524-25W to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis).
Livestock (Armed Forces)
Mr. Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what livestock the armed forces own other than for ceremonial purposes; and where they are kept. [159823]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 1 May 2001]: Records are not held centrally of any livestock held by the armed forces.
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