House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 16 May 2002 (pt 10)

Vehicle Licensing and Registration

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what targets he has set for the (a) Drivers' Standards Agency, (b) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, (c) Vehicle Certification Agency and (d) Vehicle Inspectorate for 2002–03. [57677]

Mr. Jamieson: I have set the following key targets for the agencies:

The key targets for the Driving Standards Agency are:

Contribute to a 40 per cent. reduction in riders and drivers killed or seriously injured in road accidents in the age group up to age 24 years by 2010, compared with the average for 1994–98.

Further expand and develop our programme of pre-driver education to deliver 4,500 presentations to 17 to 19-year-olds in schools, colleges and other institutions, such as the Ministry of Defence, subject to continued funding by DTLR.

90 per cent. of all customers to be satisfied with the overall level of service received from the agency.

95 per cent. of all candidates to have obtained a theory test appointment at their preferred test centre within two weeks of their preferred date.

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The national average practical car test waiting time will be no more than six weeks.

Keep 99.5 per cent. of practical test appointments that are in place two days prior to the test appointment.

Following routing by call handling system, 90 per cent. of calls to theory test and practical test booking offices will be answered by a human voice in no more than 20 seconds.

Introduce a mandatory development route for all new managers in DSA. Review skill levels of existing managers against this new training framework, ensuring that 50 per cent. of all managers have completed this assessment by March 2003.

Use examiner resource efficiently by achieving an average examiner utilisation for car practical tests of 80 per cent.

Reduce sick absence to 5 per cent. by December 2002.

Achieve a 2.6 per cent. return on capital employed in 2002–03.

Increase the basket of fees by 1.7 per cent. within the cumulative RPI target.

The key targets for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency are:

To achieve a 2.5 per cent. efficiency gain.

To complete 95 per cent. of new vehicle registrations and changes to a registration document transactions in 12 days.

To complete 95 per cent. of vehicle excise duty (VED) refunds in 30 working days.

To complete 95 per cent. of ordinary driving licence transactions in 10 working days.

To complete 95 per cent. of vocational and provisional driving licence transactions in eight working days.

To complete 95 per cent. of cherished transfer transactions in seven working days.

To deliver 95 per cent. of written replies to queries in seven working days.

To answer 95 per cent. of telephone calls in 30 seconds.

To answer 95 per cent. of e-mail inquiries within three working days.

To have lines available to the call centre during 96 per cent. of working hours.

To produce 97.5 per cent. of new vehicle registration documents, changes to registration documents and driving licences without agency induced errors.

To complete 720,00 VED enforcement cases.

The key targets for the Vehicle Certification Agency are:

To achieve at least break even on the operating surplus.

To have at least 98 per cent. of approval certificates issued error free.

To achieve a score of at least 18 on the quality and service matrix.

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 25 working days after completion of the chargeable work.

To establish by March 2003 a new, regularly monitored customer satisfaction index with a benchmark score.

The key targets for the Vehicle Inspectorate are:

To deliver against an effectiveness and quality improvement programme.

To deliver effective road safety and environmental standards activity as agreed with DTLR.

To deliver initiatives across VI and DVO to provide a seamless service to customers.

To break even year on year and achieve a 6 per cent. real rate of return on capital, over the period 1 April 1998 to 31 March 2003.

To increase value for money.

To improve performance management across the business.

To secure the long term development of the organisation.

These key targets are under-pinned by further detailed delivery targets.

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Bus Services

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the role of bus services in the delivery of the Government plans for transport in London. [55816]

Ms Keeble: The Government's 10-year plan for transport makes clear that we share with the Mayor of London a broad approach to improving transport in London which includes delivering increased public transport capacity and efficiency. The plan envisages the delivery of high quality standards on all major bus corridors, improved bus frequencies and other service enhancements. The Mayor's Transport Strategy and Transport for London's Business Plan contain specific proposals for such improvements and Transport for London are in the process of delivering them.

Councillors

Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he intends to make regulations under the Local Government Act 2000 in relation to handling at local level any allegations that councillors have breached codes of conduct. [57831]

Mr. Raynsford: I intend to publish very shortly a consultation paper with a proposed framework for handling at local level allegations of breaches of the code of conduct. The framework will help to promote high standards of conduct among local councillors, and will provide sensible and efficient procedures for resolving any allegations of misconduct.

Copies of the consultation paper will be sent to local authorities, and will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Pathfinder Project

Mr. Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what support is being made available to the low demand pathfinder project announced on 10 April. [57612]

Mr. Byers: I am today announcing that we are to invest £25 million in the nine low demand pathfinder projects. This investment is being financed from the Capital Modernisation Fund.

The funding will be made available in shares of £2.66 million to each pathfinder project with £1 million used for collective monitoring and evaluation of projects. This will enable each pathfinder to start early the process of preparing the strategic plan that will inform current and future investment in the pathfinder area. The strategic plan will include proposals for action for a 10 to 15-year period designed to transform the area. It will also be essential to see evidence that other non-housing spend is being brought to bear to ensure that a comprehensive and coherent approach is being taken to renewal.

The Government are determined to tackle the problem of low demand. This investment will speed up the necessary preparatory work, facilitate establishing local delivery vehicles and allow urgent action to be taken.

16 May 2002 : Column 798W

Fire Service

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the new national procurement for radio systems in the fire service will replace the regionally based system of procurement. [57099]

Dr. Whitehead: Yes. Statutory responsibility for equipping fire brigades rests with local fire authorities but it is the intention that the new national procurement of replacement wide area radio systems should be in place of existing regional procurements.

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the national procurement for radio systems in the fire service will provide funding for infrastructure and terminal equipment and through life support; and what funding is available for the system. [57098]

Dr. Whitehead: On 7 May I announced the procurement of a national radio communications system for the fire service in England and Wales, for which the Government are prepared to manage, support and fully fund a new national competition. The costs of the procurement exercise will depend on the response of the market. We are discussing the implications of the new strategy with fire service interests.

Health and Safety Executive

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many staff were employed in the Health and Safety Executive at 1 April; and what proportion of those staff have clinical contact with NHS patients. [56865]

Dr. Whitehead: At 1 April 2002 the Health and Safety Executive employed 4,099 staff; none of whom would normally have clinical contact with NHS patients.

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