§ Mr. Tim SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what specific financial, efficiency and quality of service targets he has approved for the Companies House agency for the current year and for the longer term.
§ Mr. RedwoodTargets for Companies House covering the two-year period to 1990–91 were announced by the Secretary of State in March 1989. These are:
- (i) A 10 per cent. reduction in the proportion of companies which have not filed all the accounts and annual returns required by the Companies Act, so that by June 1991 the compliance rate will be increased to 83 per cent.;
- (ii) A 20 per cent. reduction in the time taken to process documents, so that by April 1991 documents are on average available to the public within 18 working days of being delivered to Companies House;
- (iii) A 12 per cent. increase in output per member of staff;
- (iv) A 7 per cent. decrease in unit costs in real terms. Companies House's targets are currently being reviewed in the context of the agency's 1990 corporate plan.