HL Deb 10 June 1996 vol 572 c147WA
The Earl of Balfour

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What performance targets they have set for the United Kingdom Passport Agency in 1996–97.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch)

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Mr. Kirkhope, has set the agency the following key targets:

  1. 1. to process properly completed straightforward applications within a maximum of 15 working days between April and October 1996 and 10 working days from 1st November 1996 onwards;
  2. 2. to reduce unit costs by a further 3 per cent. in real terms in comparison with the outturn for 1995–96.

The chief executive will remain directly accountable to him for the performance of the Passport Agency. An advisory board, including two private sector members with experience of delivering services to the public, will continue to provide him with an independent assessment of the agency's performance.