Departmental Agencies (Hansard, 19 July 1991)

§ Mr. McAllion
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list the new forms of working patterns introduced into each agency in his Department since its establishment; and if he will break-down by grade the numbers of staff taking up each new working pattern;
(2) how many staff were in post on the date that each agency in his Department was established; and how many staff are now in post;
(3) what group bonus schemes are in operation in each agency in his Department;
(4) if he will list those new facilities for staff which have been introduced in each agency in his Department since establishment;
(5) whether any appointments from the private sector have been made to any agency in his Department at grade 7 or above since its establishment.
291W

§ Dr. Mawhinney
The information requested is a matter for chief executives of agencies. I have asked them to write to the hon. Member. Copies of their replies will be placed in the Library and Public Information Office.

§ Mr. McAllion
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the last annual report for each agency in his Department was published; and when the next are due.

§ Dr. Mawhinney
The Training and Employment Agency, established on 2 April 1990, intends to publish its first annual report in September 1991.
The Rate Collection Agency, established on 1 April 1991, intends to publish its first annual report after 31 March 1992.
The Social Security Agency, established on 1 July 1991, is not due to publish its first annual report until after April 1992.

§ Mr. McAllion
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the maximum salary payable to the chief executive of each agency in his Department; and what is the length of each chief executive's contract.

§ Dr. Mawhinney
The chief executives of the Training and Employment Agency and the Social Security Agency are paid on the standard civil service pay scale for grade 3 and the chief executive of the Rate Collection Agency as a grade 6. The chief executive of the Training and Employment Agency is a permanent appointment and the other two chief executives are appointed for three years.

§ Mr. McAllion
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on events and publicity surrounding the launch of each agency in his Department.

§ Dr. Mawhinney
The amounts spent on the launch of the Training and Employment Agency and the Rate Collection Agency were £65,216.66 and £9,898.15 respectively.
The information regarding the launch of the Social Security Agency which took place on 24 June 1991 is not yet available. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member as soon as the figures are known and copies of his reply will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

§ Mr. McAllion
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what first degree was obtained by the chief executive of each agency in his Department; and from which institution.

§ Dr. Mawhinney
As the information requested is of a personal nature, I have asked the chief executives of the agencies to write to the hon. Member.

§ Mr. McAllion
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the quality of service performance indicators adopted by each agency in his Department since its establishment as an executive agency; and if he will separately identify those quality of service performance indicators already operative prior to agency status.

§ Dr. Mawhinney
The quality of service performance indicators are:
The Training and Employment Agency: 292W

to measure the level of satisfaction with the agency's training consultancy and advisory service;

to survey companies sponsoring training in training centres to establish that their training needs have been satisfied;

to survey levels of customer satisfaction with the services provided by the agency's offices; and

to ensure that literature is issued within 24 hours, and that queries are followed up within one week in response to Freefone inquiries.

Quality of service performance indicators had not been established on a regular basis before agency status, although a number of ad hoc surveys of satisfaction with training centre and office provision were carried out.
The Rate Collection Agency: Collection and Recovery of Rates—To generate refunds of 90 per cent. of ratepayers so entitled within 14 days of credits being identified. Administration of the Housing Benefit Scheme, for the Owner-Occupier Sector—To achieve 96 per cent. of housing benefit assessments free to error. No quality of service performance indicators were operative in rating division, the Rate Collection Agency's predecessor, prior to agency status.
The Social Security Agency: The quality of service performance indicators for the Social Security Agency are contained in its 1991–92 business plan, a copy of which is available in the Library. Of these, the indicator on customer satisfaction is the only one which was not in existence prior to the establishment of the agency.