§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what bonus scheme is in operation in the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, the Defence Research Agency, the Directorate General of Defence Accounts, the Hydrographic Office, the Meteorological Office, the Military Survey, Royal Air Force Maintenance and Service Children's Schools (NWE); and if he will state for each the cash amount per person awarded in the last year for which figures are available, and the conditions attached to its award.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe executive agencies and defence support agencies can participate in the special bonus scheme in operation in the Ministry of Defence. As participation is a matter for chief executives, I have asked the chief executives to write to the hon. Member about their use of this scheme and any others that they may have introduced in their particular agency.
§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the quality of service performance indicators adopted by Service Children's Schools (NWE), Royal Air Force Maintenance, the Military Survey, the Meteorological Office, the Hydrographic Office, the Directorate General of Defence Accounts, the Defence Research Agency and the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment since their establishment as executive agencies; and separately indentify for each those quality of service performance indicators already operative prior to agency status.
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§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleQuality of service performance indicators are included among the key targets which were set out when the individual agencies were established. I refer the hon. Member to the followingHansard entries:
Executive/Defence Support Agency Hansard Service Children's Schools (NWE) 23 April 1991, Column 380 Royal Air Force Maintenance 28 March 1991, Column 570–571 Military Survey 27 March 1991, Column 479–480 Hydrographic Office 25 July 1991, Column 935 Directorate General of Defence Accounts 23 April 1991, Column 379–380 Defence Research Agency 26 March 1991, Column 401 Chemical and Biological 26 March 1991, Column 397–399 Defence Establishment The key targets for the Meteorological Office, which were set out in Hansard, column 443–44 of 2 April 1990, have been refined since the establishment of this organisation as an executive agency. Current targets for the period 1992–97 which concern quality of service are as follows:
- (a) To increase efficiency by an average of 3 per cent. per annum during the period, to be achieved through required improvements in quality of service, increased service volumes and reduced unit costs.
- (b) To reduce by 15 per cent. cumulatively the standard error of 48-hour forecasts of mid-tropospheric pressure fields over the north Atlantic and north-west Europe.
- (c) To provide authoritative advice on climate change issues to Ministers and the general public.
In overall terms there were no such formal targets in existence before the individual agencies were established, although most of the elements of performance review were included in departmental plans.
§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the new forms of alternative working patterns introduced into the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, the Defence Research Agency, the Directorate General of Defence Accounts, the Hydrographic Office, the Meteorological Office, the Military Survey, Royal Air Force Maintenance and Service Children's Schools (NWE), since their establishment as executive agencies; and provide for each a breakdown by grade of the numbers of staff taking up each new working pattern.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThis a matter for the chief executives of the executive agencies and defence support agencies. I have asked them to write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the first degree obtained by the chief executive, along with the university or polytechnic from which it was awarded, of each of the agencies in his Departments.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThis is a personal matter for the chief executives of the executive agencies and defence support agencies. I have asked them to consider this question and write to the hon. Member as appropriate.