HC Deb 19 June 1997 vol 296 c268W
Ms Dari Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what performance targets have been set for the Meteorological Office for 1997–98. [5062]

Mr. Spellar

The Chief Executive of the Meteorological Office is responsible for providing quality meteorological and related services for the government, the armed forces, the public, aviation and commercial customers. During 1997–98, the Meteorological Office will be set the following challenging targets:

  1. (a) to improve the Global Numerical Prediction (NWP) Index by eight index points from a baseline of 100, over a rolling three year period ending March 1998;
  2. (b) to improve the UK NWP Index by four index points from a baseline of 100 in 1996–97;
  3. (c) to achieve an index point improvement in the Service Quality Index from a baseline of 100 for 1996–97;
  4. (d) to improve efficiency in year by four index points as measured by the agreed Efficiency Index;
  5. (e) to achieve an overall Return on Capital Employed of at least 11.6 per cent. averaged over the two years 1997–98 and 1998–99 (not less than seven per cent. in year); and,
  6. (f) to achieve a total contribution to core and central services from commercial activity of £3 million.