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Inland Revenue: IT Services
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which companies are bidding to supply IT services to the Inland Revenue when present contracts expire in 2004; what effects on the continuity of the business, if any, would ensure from a change of supplier; and whether this will be a factor in the competition.[HL5515]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The shortlist of bidders who are likely to be invited to tender is BT plc, Cap Gemini, Ernst & Young, EDS/Accenture Allicance.
The Inland Revenue is developing plans to mitigate the risk to the continuity of services should there be a change of suppliers when the current contracts expire in 2004. This includes having agreed exit strategies with the current suppliers, EDS and Accenture. The Inland Revenue will also expect bidders to be able to demonstrate that they are capable of managing a transition on this scale and to include detailed transition plans in their response to the invitation to tender.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether any of the suppliers of IT services to the Inland Revenue are affected by corporate problems with their business partners in the United States.[HL5516]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Inland Revenue has examined the contractual arrangements between EDS, Worldcom and the UK-based third party supplier and are fully satisfied that there is no threat to the data network service provision and that any default by Worldcom is fully covered by EDS.
Housing Benefit
Baroness Noakes asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they accept the findings of the Audit Commission's report Housing Benefit—the National Perspective, in relation to the need to simplify the housing benefit regulations and to improve the funding regime; and, if so, when they will take action.[HL5189]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Baroness Hollis of Heigham): Pursuant to my Written Answer on 22 July 2002, Official Report, (WA20):
- We welcome the Audit Commission's report on housing benefit (HB) administration. Its emphasis on partnership and simplification is very much in tune with our current policy initiatives.
- We are determined to work with local authorities to drive up standards of service, tackle fraud and error, reduce barriers to work and tackle social exclusion.
- In March last year we established a help team to work in partnership with local authorities to support them in improving the administration of HB. We are already seeing real improvements resulting from the team's work.
- In addition, we have set up a help fund to support local authorities by providing funding for locally-led initiatives to improve the administration of HB. For the financial year 2001–02, a total of £1,637,570 was awarded, which benefited over 200 authorities.
- We also want to help more authorities deliver a high standard of HB service by sharing good practice. We have now introduced a dedicated website for local authorities and have also distributed on CD a housing benefit manager's service improvement "toolkit".
- In April this year we published for the first time performance standards for the full range of HB administration. These standards provide authorities with a definition of what they should be delivering.
- The spending review announced by my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 15 July includes the biggest investment in HB administration since the scheme began in 1988. Starting with £40 million next year, we are investing an extra £200 million over three years to help local authorities to meet the performance standards in delivery of HB.
- From April 2003, all local authorities currently complying with the verification framework will receive a 50 per cent increase in their funding allocation for this work. In addition, any authority seeking to become compliant now or in the near future will also receive 50 per cent more than it otherwise would have done.
- We will continue to review local authorities core administration subsidy each year and we will fund the set-up and ongoing costs of implementing the changes needed to bring in the new tax credits and the pension credit.
Common Land
Lord Clinton-Davis asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish the outcome of the review of common land policy and legislation following the consultation exercise that took place in 2000.[HL5477]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): We have today published a Common Land Policy Statement jointly with the National Assembly for Wales. This, together with the Report on Consultation Responses, is available in the Library of the House, on the DEFRA website, and from the National Assembly for Wales.
The policy statement contains a comprehensive package of proposals relating to the registration and protection of common land and village greens. It also outlines our objectives for improving the agricultural management of common land and announces our intention to set up as soon as possible a working party of stakeholders to make recommendations on how these objectives can best be met.
In the Rural White Paper, issued in November 2000, the Government gave a commitment to legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows. We hope to be able to do so in the 2004–05 session.
Enriched Cages
Lord Gavron asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When the public consultation on the possible ban on enriched cages in England will begin.[HL5478]
Lord Whitty: The public consultation will start on 24 July and last for three months.
Veterinary Medicines Directorate: Annual Report and Accounts 2001–02
Lord Graham of Edmonton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish the 2001–02 annual report for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.[HL5479]
Lord Whitty: The 2001–02 annual report and accounts for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
Veterinary Laboratories Agency: Annual Report and Accounts 2001–02
Baroness Howells of St Davids asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish the 2001–02 annual report for the Veterinary Laboratories Agency. [HL5480]
Lord Whitty: The 2001–02 annual report and accounts for the Veterinary Laboratories Agency were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
Pesticides Safety Directorate: Annual Report and Accounts 2001–02
Baroness David asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish the 2001–02 annual report for the Pesticides Safety Directorate. [HL5481]
Lord Whitty: The 2001–02 annual report and accounts for the Pesticides Safety Directorate were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
Central Science Laboratory: Annual Report and Accounts 2001–02
Lord Evans of Temple Guiting asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish the 2001–02 annual report for the Central Science Laboratory. [HL5482]
Lord Whitty: The 2001–02 annual report and accounts for the Central Science Laboratory were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
Water Industry: Consultation Paper on Competition
Lord Hoyle asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When the consultation paper on competition in the water industry will be published. [HL5541]
Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Environment (Michael Meacher) announced in another place on 19 March the Government's proposals for increasing competition in the water industry in England and Wales (HC Deb, Col 265W). We promised to publish a consultation paper with further details of our proposals later in the year.
We can now confirm that the consultation paper on competition in the water industry will be published in the next few weeks.
Rural Payments Agency: Targets for 2002–03
Lord Davies of Coity asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What targets they have set the Rural Payments Agency for 2002–03.[HL5542]
Lord Whitty: We have set the Rural Payments Agency the following performance targets for 2002–03:
1. To successfully negotiate Office of Government Commerce (OGC) Gateway 3 by 31 December 2002.
2. To ensure the main programme contract is ready to let by 31 December 2002, once Gateway 3 is achieved.
3. To operate within the 2002–03 resource budget allocations as agreed with DEFRA.
4. To ensure that disallowance within the control of RPA due to non-compliance with EU requirement remains below 2 per cent of the value of CAP payments made by the agency.
5. To account accurately and to deadline for EAGGF funds.
Business Continuity and Service Delivery
6. To process and pay at least 96.14 per cent of valid IACS claims by value within the EU deadline.
7. To process and pay at least 85 per cent of valid non-IACS claims by volume within ministerial deadlines and all claims within the EU deadlines or in their absence 60 days.
8. To process at least 98.5 per cent of all valid claims correctly.
9. To publish customer service standards that meet Charter Mark guidelines by 30 June 2002.
10. To use the customer survey to establish a baseline for customer satisfaction and agree and undertake improvement activities by 31 December 2002.
11. To use the EFQM Excellence Model in all RPA business units to assess current enablers' ability to deliver required targets and outcomes, agreeing change action plans by 31 March 2003.
To use the staff survey to establish a baseline for staff satisfaction by 31 December 2002 and agree and undertake improvement activities by 31 March 2003.
To complete roll out of diversity training across RPA by 31 March 2003.
To reduce sick absence to no more than 7.9 days per staff year by 31 March 2003.
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