§ Mr.HancockTo ask the Secretary of state for Defence What have been the targets set for Ships Supports Agency on upkeep period timeliness for each of the years 1996–97,1997–98 and 1998–99; what were the achievements against the target in 1996–97 and 1997–98; and what factors influenced the selection of the target for 1998–99. [56038]
§ Mr.SpellarThe Ships Support Agency's targets and achievements against target for Upkeep period timeliness in 1996–97 may be found in the Cabinet Office's Next Steps Report 1997,a copy of which is in the Library of the House, The Agency's targets and achievements against target in 1997–98 are published in the Agency's Annual Report for 1997–98, a copy of which is also in the Library of the House. For the 1998–99 targets, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the former 205W Minister for the Armed Forces to my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mrs. Gilroy) on 5 June 1998, Official Report, columns 397–98.
The target for 1998–99 has been adjusted with the agreement of the Agency's owner, Chief of Fleet Support, and its customers to take account of known overruns on maintenance projects which were already in progress in April 1998, and the budget allocated to the Agency.