HL Deb 20 March 1997 vol 579 cc100-1WA
Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What targets have been set for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for 1997–98.

Lord Lucas

My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has set the following targets for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in 1997–98.

Financial Performance

1. To recover from industry and government the full economic cost (calculated according to accruals accounting) of each of its main business activities of—

licensing and surveillance

policy work

residue monitoring

2. To operate within the net cash allocation as agreed by the MAFF Management Board

Quality of Service

3. To deliver high quality policy advice to Ministers

4. To deliver high quality scientific assessment work

5. To determine 80 per cent. of new marketing authorisations within 120 clock days, 95 per cent. within 200 clock days

6. To ensure that the first assessment of variations outstanding for more than 75 clock days on 1 April 1997 is completed by 31 October 1997 and that a first assessment of renewals outstanding for more than 90 clock days on 1 April 1997 is completed by 31 December 1997; and to ensure that first assessments for variations and renewals arriving after 1 April 1997 are completed within 75 and 90 clock days respectively

7. To meet target timescales for centralised, decentralised and MRI applications under EU procedures