Fact-finding Visits (Hansard, 9 November 1992)

§ Mr. Eggar

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the chief executives of the 10 agencies for which my Department is responsible. I have therefore asked Mr. Mike Hoddinott, Accounts Services Agency; Mr. David Durham, Companies House; Mr. Peter Joyce, Insolvency Service; Dr. Richard Worswick, Laboratory of the Government Chemist; Mr. William Edgar, National Engineering Laboratory; Dr. Peter Clapham, National Physical Laboratory; Dr. Seton Bennett, National Weights and Measures Laboratory; Mr. Paul Hartnack, Patent Office; Mr. John Michell, Radiocommunications Agency; and Dr. Doug Cormack, Warren Spring Laboratory, to arrange for replies to be given.

Letter from D. Durham to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 October 1992:

You recently put down a Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade asking him to list, fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by the chief executive of each executive agency; and what were the findings resulting from each visit. Following the answer given by Mr. Eggar, I am replying in respect of Companies House.

I visited the United States and Canada in late April, early May 1992. The visit was aimed at improving my understanding of quality management and image technology.

I visited the US Patents Office in Washington, the United Services Automobile Association (a major insurer) in San Antonio and the Province of Ontario's Ministry of Consumer and Commercial relations in Toronto and Thunder Bay. All three organisations use image technology and have pioneered its use in different ways. Although Companies House had decided recently not to continue with its own image project, it is still a longer-term possibility to replace our microfiche system. I gained a valuable insight into the use of image technology, both its problems and its benefits.

The USAA has a world-wide reputation for quality and it conducts monthly seminars to pass on this knowledge to other organisations wishing to improve their quality management. Companies House were at that time in the middle of their own total quality management programme and attendance at the seminar provided a valuable insight into how improvement could be brought about. Much was also learned about the USAA's introduction and use of image technology.

Letter from M. J. Michell to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 October 1992:

You have recently tabled two Parliamentary Questions to the President of the Board of Trade, concerning papers published and fact finding visits by the Chief Executives of DTI Agencies. The President has asked me to write to you on these matters in relation to the Radiocommunications Agency.

I have not myself published any papers since this Agency was established in 1990. However the Agency as such has published a large number of technical papers, reports and so forth. I am not sure this kind of publication is what you had in mind in your Question but I have enclosed details of publications over the past 12 months should these be of interest. I am also enclosing a copy of the Agency's latest annual report.

In the last twelve months I have not made any fact finding visits as such. During the course of my work I have visited a number of UK companies to discuss matters of business, as well as visiting different Agency establishments. I have made one overseas visit to Australia and New Zealand, to discuss with the authorities there certain radical changes in radio 602W spectrum management policy they have introduced or are in course of introducing, in order that I may better advise Ministers on future policy in this country. As you may know, the Government has announced its intention of issuing a consultative document on future radio spectrum management in due course.

I hope this is helpful.

Letter from M. Hoddinott to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 October 1992:

In response to your recent Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade, I have been asked to advise you of fact finding visits I have made in the last twelve months as Chief Executive of Accounts Services Agency.

I have made no such visits. Visits have been made to colleagues in DTI and other Government Departments to discuss the delivery of the Agency's services and management or similar issues.

Letter from W. Edgar to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992:

I would refer to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 22 October to the President to the Board of Trade asking that he produce a list of the fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by the Chief Executive of each Agency for which he is responsible and that he identify the findings resulting from each visit.

As the Chief Executive of NEL I can confirm to you that I have not made any purely fact finding visits in the last 12 months. All my trips outside the office are, in the interests of maintaining a cost effective operation, of the multi-purpose variety whereby I visit clients, make presentations on NEL's capability, attend meetings with partners in various joint ventures and also include a host of other activities. Where fact finding/market research initiatives are required these are normally carried out and coordinated by the marketing department or operating divisions and are normally combined with a number of other tasks carried out simultaneously.

Letter from Dr. P. B. Clapham to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992:

I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question addressed to the President of the Board of Trade requesting a list of fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by Agency Chief Executives. I have been asked to respond concerning my own Agency, the National Physical Laboratory.

I have not made any fact finding visits in the usual sense of the phrase. I have, however, attended two meetings in the last 12 months concerned with increasing the level of European collaboration within the sphere of the Agency's interests—primarily measurement standards. These discussions are 'on-going', so there are no specific findings to report. The final outcome will depend in part on the priorities placed on measurement and testing in the European Community's Fourth Framework Programme.

Letter from R. D. Worswick to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 October 1992:

I am writing to you in reply to your PQ about 'fact finding visits" made by the Chief Executives of the Department's Agencies.

Since my appointment as Chief Executive of LGC in May 1991 I have visited several organisations in the UK and Europe concerned directly or indirectly with the work of the Laboratory.

Further afield I led a high level mission on analytical instruments to Japan last year. I also visited the National Institute of Science and Technology in the United States.

I hope this is helpful.

Letter from P. Joyce to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 October 1992:

As Chief Executive of The Insolvency Service, I have been asked to let you have a substantive response to the 603W Parliamentary Question (No. 125) which you tabled on 22 October 1992. This concerned 'fact finding' visits made by Chief Executives of Agencies.

The Insolvency Service has 36 offices throughout England and Wales, principally Official Receivers' offices, together with one in Edinburgh. I and my senior management colleagues will between us hope to visit all these offices in the course of any 12 months. These are not fact finding visits as such but rather the means by which I and my colleagues can keep in touch with what is going on at a local level. I and my senior colleagues also visit Insolvency Practitioners from time to time, which enables us to take the views of the insolvency profession on the practical application of insolvency law.

Letter from D. Cormack to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 26 October 1992:

Warren Spring Laboratory is a non-monopoly supplier of scientific and technical services to government and other customers, who themselves operate competitive tendering. We therefore only do what we can recover the costs of through contracts.

I have not been contracted to take part in any fact finding visits and consequently have not been involved in any, although I am aware that fact finding missions to foreign countries are from time to time organised by the relevant divisions of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992:

I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question number 125 of 22 October 1992 about fact finding visits. I have made no such visits in the last 12 months.

Letter from S. Bennett to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992:

I have been asked by the President of the Board of Trade to let you have details of any fact finding visits made during the last 12 months.

I have made no such visits in the last year.