§ Mr. McCabeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what key targets are set for the Forensic Science Agency of Northern Ireland in 1999–2000; what278W forward plans have been prepared by the Agency; and what arrangements have been made for the publication of this year's plans. [115344]
§ Mr. IngramThe following key targets are set for the Forensic Science Agency of Northern Ireland in 1999–2000.
Quality of Service
To turnaround 85 per cent. of those cases in which a file is required to be submitted to the DPP within 85 days of notification or final submissions whichever is later for cases received from 1 April 1999.Quality of Science
Maintain UKAS accreditation for those scientific processes identified by the Ministerial Advisory Board.Achieve supplier status for the National DNA database by 31 December 1999.Service Provision
To have obtained the agreement of the User Board that the Agency is effectively meeting the needs of the RUC as defined in the Service Level Agreement for the year ending 31 March 2000.Financial Performance
To recover from Customers the full cash costs of the services to them.To reduce by 2 per cent. the Unit Cost of the Agency.Achievement against these key targets will be recorded in the Agency's Annual Report for 1999–2000 which will be published in July 2000.
The Agency has published a summary of its Corporate Plan 1999–2002 and Annual Business Plan 1999–2000 which explains its business and organisation, describes its key targets for 1999–2000 and sets out the assumptions about workloads and resources which support its planned activities. Publication has been held back pending the resolution of technical issues concerning the Agency's cost recovery key target. Copies of the summary plans have been placed in the Library. Copies will be available to the public from the Agency.