§ The Minister for E-Commerce and Competitiveness (Mr. Stephen Timms)I have set the Radiocommunications Agency the following quality of service targets for 2003–04 in respect of its licensing and enforcement activities, and correspondence. They are effective until the Agency's transfer from the Department to the Office of Communications (Ofcom). They are in addition to achieving an overall efficiency improvement of 5 per cent. over 2002–03.
Licensing Targets (from 1 April to 30 June 2003)
Category A
Licences that involve no frequency assignment, site clearance or international co-ordination: 100 per cent. of applications for new or varied services to be awarded or rejected (with explanation) within 5 working days.Category B
Licences that involve frequency assignment but no site clearance or international co-ordination: 90 per cent. of applications for new or varied services to be awarded or rejected (with explanation) within 15 working days; the remainder to be awarded or rejected within 25 working days or an explanation of the delay to be given.Category C
30WSLicences that require frequency assignment and site clearance and/or international co-ordination: 90 per cent. of applications for new or varied services to be awarded or rejected (with explanation) within 40 working days; the remainder to be awarded or rejected within 60 working days or an explanation of the delay to be given.Licensing Targets (from 1 July 2003, to reflect the new Authorisation Directive, which will use calendar days in place of working days)
Category A
Licences that involve no frequency assignment, site clearance or international co-ordination: 100 per cent. of valid licence applications for new or varied services to be awarded or rejected (with explanation) within 7 days.Category B
Licences that involve frequency assignment but no site clearance or international co-ordination: 90 per cent. of valid licence applications for new or varied services to be awarded, or rejected with explanation, within 21 days; and the remainder to be awarded or rejected within 42 days.Category C
Licences that require frequency assignment and site clearance and/or international co-ordination: All valid licence applications for new or varied services to be awarded or rejected (with explanations) within 42 days; except where international clearance is involved, applications to be awarded or rejected within 60 days or an explanation of the delay to be given.Enforcement (applicable all year)
100 per cent. of safety of life services reports of interference to be investigated within 24 hours.
- 98 per cent. of business customers reports of interference to be investigated within 5 working days; the remainder within a further 5 days.
- 98 per cent. of domestic customers reports of interference to be investigated within 1 month; the remainder within a further month.
- 90 per cent. of complainants to be sent a formal case update within 10 working days after the start of an investigation, the remainder within a further 10 days.
Correspondence (applicable all year)
I also expect all correspondence from hon. Members delegated to the Chief Executive by Ministers or otherwise for reply, and all written complaints addressed to him about Agency services, to be answered within 10 working days of receipt; the Agency's inquiry point to respond to 95 per cent. of calls within 30 seconds; and 100 per cent, of valid invoices to be paid within 30 days of receipt (or as agreed with the supplier).