§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Ian Pearson)The ministerial targets for the Rate Collection Agency, Northern Ireland, for the period 1 April 2003–31 March 2004 are as follows
to collect 98 per cent. (or the 2002–03 outturn if higher) of a forecast £758 million Gross Collectable Rate (excluding Late Assessments) by 31 March 2004;to deliver an efficiency saving of 2 per cent.;to accurately calculate and advise District Councils of the Actual Penny Product outturn for 2002–03, and to forecast the Estimated Penny Product for 2004–05 by 1 November 2003;to process 98 per cent. of Housing Benefit applications free from error;to achieve an average turnaround time for processing regular, non-annual Housing Benefit applications of 25 working days;to issue all eligible rate refunds within 14 working days of being identified as a rate refund;to achieve, by 31 March 2004, an overall rating for service provision of 'satisfied' or above, from at least 95 per cent. of respondents;to live within budget allocations for 2003–04.Copies of the Rate Collection Agency's Corporate and Business Plan for 2003–06, which includes these targets, were deposited in the Northern Ireland Assembly on 1 April 2003. Copies will also be placed in the House of Commons Library and the House of Lords Library.