§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets she has set her Department's Radiocommunications Agency for 1998–99. [40800]
§ Mrs. BeckettI have set the Radiocommunications Agency the following quality of service targets for 1998/99 in respect of its licensing and enforcement activities. These are in addition to achieving an overall efficiency improvement of 5% over 1997/98, and to set fees in accordance with the powers established under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1998.
Licensing Targets
Category A:
Licences that involve no frequency assignment, site clearance or international co-ordination; 100% of applications and amendments to be processed and despatched within 5 working days.Category B:
Licences that involve frequency assignment but no site clearance or international co-ordination; 90% of applications and amendments to be processed and despatched within 15 working days: the remainder to be processed and despatched within 25 working days or an explanation of the delay provided to the applicant.Category C:
240WLicences that require frequency assignment and/or site clearance and/or international co-ordination; 90% of applications and amendments to be processed and despatched within 40 working days; remainder to be despatched within 60 working days, or an explanation of the delay provided to the applicant.Renewals
Renewals of all licences in category A to be processed and despatched within 5 working days; renewals of licences in categories B and C to be processed and despatched within 10 working days.Enforcement
100% of safety of life services reports of interference to be investigated within 24 hrs.98% of business customers reports of interference to be investigated within 5 working days, the remainder within a further 10 days;98% of domestic customers reports of interference to be investigated within 1 month, the remainder within a further month.Correspondence
I also expect all correspondence from hon. Members to Ministers, and all written complaints to the Chief Executive about Agency services, to be answered within 10 working days of receipt, the Agency's enquiry point to respond to 95% of all calls within 30 seconds, and 97% of valid invoices to be paid within 30 days (or as agreed with supplier) and the remainder to be paid within a further 30 days.