APPENDIX B
SR2000 PSA AND SDA PERFORMANCE
Which parts of PSA target 4 were judged outside
of the office's control and why (footnote 2, page 105)?
The PSA target 4 (page 101 of the Departmental
Report) for the period 2001-04 was judged principally against
the previous three year period 2000-03. On that basis there was
an overall reduction in major security incidents of 260 or 14%
to include all categories of death, shooting and bombings.
Public order incidents increased by 1,103 or
8% and was due almost entirely to interface violence in North
and East Belfast. The categories of petrol bombings, hijackings
and other incidents of public disorder all reduced. Serious violence
against the person remained broadly static.
The period 1999-2002 was included for completeness
although it is acknowledged that the timeframe reflected the relative
calm which followed the Belfast Agreement.
On what basis was overall success or failure for
PSA target 4 judged as the number of major security incidents,
public order incidents and cases of serious violence against the
person increased in across all categories between 2000-03 and
2001-04 compared to the baseline of 1999-2002 (page 101)? . .
.Is it representative of these results to report this target as
partly met (page 105)?
The broad comparison taken together with other
reported evidence including the most recent reductions in major
security incidents and street disorder, absence of baton rounds
fired and the peaceful 2003 marching season led to the conclusion
that the target was partially met.
Why does the Final Assessment Table report
that PSA target 9 cannot be measured due to the switch to resource
accounting? Why can the resource outturn figure not be converted
into a cash figure for assessment?
Following the introduction of resource accounting,
the accounting system no longer collects financial information
on a cash basis. Expenditure is costed as incurred and not as
the cash payment is made. Expenditure also now includes notional
and capital costs such as depreciation and cost of capital.
The introduction of resource accounting required
the setting of a CPPP target in resource terms. The target of
£83,275 for 2003-04 was therefore set and has since been
met.
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