Maritime and Coastguard Agency (Hansard, 30 March 2000)

§ Mr. Hill

I have today placed in the House Library a copy of the Agency's Business Plan which includes its key targets for 2000–01. The key targets areto agree a new statutory safety regime for under 12 m fishing vessels by 31 October for implementation by 30 April 2001; to complete at least 95 per cent. of the agreed programme of vessel inspections by March 2001; to decide on the search and rescue response to accidents and life-threatening situations, and to initiate action if necessary, within 5 minutes of being alerted in at least 95 per cent. of cases; to undertake a review of the UK Search and Rescue Helicopter coverage as recommended in the National Audit Office report, "Civil Maritime Search and Rescue", and make recommendations to Ministers by December; following the Marine Environment High Risk Areas consultation we will prepare for Ministers a response plan by autumn 2000 proposing the most cost effective options for Emergency Towing Vessel provision; to evaluate and report to Ministers on the effectiveness of the National Contingency Plan for Counter Pollution by March 2001; to evaluate the provision of UK port waste reception facilities and report to Ministers on this by December; following an analysis of Headquarters and regional management costs, produce a specific programme for new efficiency measures and proposals to reduce such costs, and set targets for Agency management costs against pay and non-pay costs by July, for each of the years 2001–04; to analyse the first annual cycle of the time-recording Management Information System to agree, by September, specific national and regional targets for chargeable, other core and non-core activities undertaken by operational staff for 2001–04; to complete re-location programme by releasing properties in Liverpool, Great Yarmouth, Plymouth and Newcastle by 31 March 2001.