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Written Ministerial Statements
Tuesday 29 April 2003
NORTHERN IRELAND
Probation Board
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Desmond Browne): I have today published the Probation Board for Northern Ireland Business Plan for 2003–04. The Plan sets out the Board's key objectives and performance targets for the year. Copies of the Plan have today been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
TRANSPORT
Performance Targets and Business Plans
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. David Jamieson): The Secretary of State for Transport has set key Ministerial targets for the Highways Agency, the Driving Standards Agency, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the Vehicle Certification Agency and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency for 2003–04. They are included in the agencies' business plans. The plans also include management objectives and performance indicators appropriate to the agencies' businesses. Copies of the Highways Agency's Business Plan have been placed in the Library. Copies of the other agencies business plans will be placed in the Library in due course.
The key targets for the Highways Agency, as shown in its Business Plan, are:
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For clarity, Target number 7 is a new target where the Agency's measure is to ensure that the annual fatality rate for road workers is no more than 5 per 100,000 road workers.
The measure for Target 11 is calculated by applying a simple arithmetical mean across the results of the five sub-indicators, the results of each being expressed as a percentage.
The key targets for the Driving Standards Agency are:
- Contribute to casualty reductions by delivering all tests fairly and consistently.
Deliver a national programme of Arrive Alive presentations for 16–19 year olds.
Deliver improved theory and practical driving tests associated with implementing the new European standards in 2003.
Active involvement in EU policy development.
Increase take-up of the Pass Plus scheme.
Improve the quality of candidates by promoting a learning agenda.
- Provide an internet booking service for practical tests.
Achieve 90 per cent. satisfaction with theory and practical test candidates.
Deliver a national annual average practical car waiting time of six weeks.
Improve business customer satisfaction, including ADIs, above baseline of 65 per cent.
Increase the number of ADI check tests conducted from around 7,000 to 8,500.
- Recruit and train adequate staff resources to ensure that customer service standards are delivered.
Progress towards achieving a fair reward strategy for staff.
Continue a five-year rolling programme of training and development for existing examiner and administrative staff.
- Deliver value for money by keeping fee increases within the cumulative RPI target whilst improving customer service.
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Prepare for successful contract renewal for IT and TT services.
Reduce sick absence to below 2002–03 level.
| Efficiency gain | 2.5% |
| Document Entry Accuracy (% without DVLA induced error)Driving licencesVehicle reg doc: New Changes | 97.5% |
| Document Response Times (% within working days)Driving licences: Ordinary (in 10 days) | 98% |
| Vocational(in 8 days) First Provisional (in 8 days) | 98% |
| Vehicle reg doc: New (in 12 days) Changes (in 12 days) | 95% |
| VED refunds/rebates (in 30 days) | 95% |
| Cherished transfers ( in 7 days) | 95% |
| Enquiry Response Times (% answered) Telephone (in 30 seconds) | 95% |
| Written (in 7 days) | 95% |
| E-mails (in 3 days) | 95% |
| Service hours during which customers have lines available to the call centre | 96% |
| Enforcement Number of cases completed | 820,000 |
| Deliver new procedures for Continuous RegistrationAnd the roll-out of new V5 Registration Documents | January 2004 |
| Deliver new software and procedures for implementation of EVL Phase 1 | February 2004 |
The key targets for the Vehicle Certification Agency are:
To achieve at least break even at the operating level.
To have at least 98 per cent. of approval certificates issued error free.
To ensure that the figure for average debtor days is 60 calendar days or less.
To ensure that invoices for Management System Certification work are issued within an average of 23 working days after completion of the chargeable work.
To operate a series of new, regularly monitored, customer satisfaction systems and to establish benchmarks for each of them by December 2003.
The key targets for the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency are:
To deliver against an effectiveness and quality improvement programme.
To pursue internal and cross-Agency initiatives which provide seamless services to our customers through a choice of delivery channels.
To break even while achieving an average 3.5 per cent. real rate of return on capital, over the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2008
To improve performance management across the business.
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To secure the long-term development of the organisation.
(These targets are underpinned by 27 detailed measures, which are listed in full in the VOSA Business Plan).
HOME DEPARTMENT
Terrorism Act
The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. David Blunkett): Lord Carlile of Berriew QC prepared a Report on the operation in 2001 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which I laid before the House on 26 November 2002.
I am grateful to Lord Carlile for his detailed Report and I have considered his recommendations fully. Following consultation within my Department and with other relevant Departments and agencies I am pleased to place my response to Lord Carlile's recommendations in the Library today.
I also wrote to Lord Carlile last month outlining progress on recommendations made in his Report on sections 21–23 in Part 4 of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. I shall also be placing this response in the Library today.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
West Bank and Gaza (Humanitarian Situation)
The Secretary of State for International Development (Clare Short): A humanitarian crisis is accumulating in the West Bank and Gaza. Two and a half years of violence and closure have caused rapid economic and social decline. Poverty has increased dramatically with some 60 per cent. of Palestinians now living on less than $2 a day. Unemployment stands at 53 per cent. and many families are now dependent on food aid. Families have sold their assets, borrowed from friends and neighbours and cut their intake of food. The people are running out of coping mechanisms.
The severity of the situation is highlighted by the sharp decline in health indicators. According to a recent study by the al-Quds and John Hopkins Universities, the incidence of acute malnutrition in Gaza (13.3 per cent.) is comparable to levels in Zimbabwe (13 per cent.) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (13.9 per cent.). Per capita food consumption has dropped by an estimated 25–30 per cent. since September 2000. Insanitary conditions in urban areas are the norm, with broken sewerage lines and littered streets. The incidence of diarrhoeal and parasitic diseases is rising.
The context for this crisis is an intensification of military incursions and house demolitions by the Israeli defence forces which has resulted in more civilian deaths and injuries. Sustained road closures continue to restrict the free movement of people and essential supplies between the occupied territories and Israel, as well as within the occupied territories. Access for humanitarian workers and services is being denied or delayed on an almost daily basis, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. These restrictions contravene Israel's obligations under the Geneva Convention and they are impeding the effectiveness of any response to the humanitarian crisis.
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Of particular concern is the construction of the "security fence" between Israel and the occupied territories. The fence will have serious humanitarian consequences. Current estimates indicate the northern and Jerusalem sections of the fence, approximately 215km long, will leave 290,000 Palestinians on the Israeli side of the fence. Of those, some 70,000 do not have Israeli residency permits and may therefore be forced to move east of the fence to retain access to basic services. Palestinians living in the occupied territories are likely to find their livelihoods drastically affected by the separation of villages from their water sources and agricultural lands. Some neighbourhoods will be cut off from health and education services and vital infrastructure. Others may be literally divided in two by the fence.
The economic effects of the crisis are significant. A recent study by the World Bank analysed the effect of the intifada, closures and curfews on the Palestinian economy. During the past two years the economy has shrunk by a half—real Gross National Income is now 48 per cent. lower than in September 2000, while the population has increased by 9 per cent. Movement restrictions placed on Palestinians have caused economic stagnation and a drastic decline in private sector activity. Many people have lost their livelihoods. The population is increasingly dependent on public sector salaries, with salaries paid by the Palestinian Authority making up 49 per cent. of wage income in the West Bank and Gaza.
In the face of this crisis, the Palestinian Authority's Ministries of Health and Education and municipalities have managed to maintain only a basic network of public services. Schools, hospitals and clinics are supported by UN agencies especially UNRWA (the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees) and by Palestinian and international non-governmental organisations. UNRWA's programme includes emergency job creation programmes, shelter and food aid but the agency's capacity continues to be constrained by funding shortfalls.
The international community's response has focused largely on short-term support aimed at meeting the immediate humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people. The World Bank, IMF and the European Community have played a leading role in shaping and supporting a strategic response to the deepening crisis. Key contributions include support given to UNRWA, budgetary assistance given by the EC to the Palestinian Authority, and employment generation and basic services programmes.
Support given by donors directly into the budget of the Palestinian Authority has played a crucial role in preventing the collapse of public administration and the economy in the West Bank and Gaza. This has offset the decline in domestic revenue and the budget deficit which resulted from Israel's withholding of Palestinian tax revenues. Now that Israel has resumed the transfer of these revenues, the EC is able to redirect its funding to a finance facility aimed at alleviating the effect of the arrears accumulated by the Palestinian Authority over the past two years.
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DFID has provided £68 million to the Palestinians in 2002 and we will provide a similar level of support during the current year. This includes the UK share of EC funding, which was £31 million in 2002. These funds are being used to support a combination of emergency and development assistance. Some examples of the support we are providing are:
- Emergency programmes in health, trauma counselling and special educational needs provided through local non-governmental organisations;
Employment generation programmes operated through the World Bank;
Health and education, in the form of non-salary support provided direct into the budget of the Palestinian Authority.
HMG remains strongly committed to the implementation of the road map for peace between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. With agreement on the publication of the road map and the appointment of a new Prime Minister and Cabinet, the prospects for peace have improved, but implementation will be difficult. The Government will continue to work closely with Israel and the Palestinian Authority and the Quartet to secure the implementation of the road map.
DFID will provide continuing support for the peace process and for building the capacity of the Palestinian Authority. We are providing assistance to the Palestinian Negotiation Affairs Department to help build and strengthen its negotiating capacity. We also plan to support public administration and civil service reform, development of the constitution and the establishment of the new Prime Minister's Office.
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