§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what performance indicators are published for his Department; and what steps his Department has taken to involve consumer views in the development of performance indicators.
§ Mr. HeseltineI refer the hon. Gentleman to my Department's annual report 1991—Cm. 1508—which provides an explanation of my Department's expenditure plans, including measures of past and expected outputs and performance. Further details are also available from MINIS documents in the Library of the House; the latest MINIS returns—MINIS 12—will be published shortly.
Last year 27,900 people and organisations were interviewed or consulted at a cost of £2.3 million in pursuit of the Department finding out more about the effects of its policies and programmes. Each year my Department publishes the results of its findings and distributes the reports widely. The Department also encourages its sponsored bodies and local authorities to take account of the views of consumers and other interested parties in developing performance indicators for the services which are delivered through them, rather than by the Department directly. For example, we have recently commissioned the development of a manual for local authorities and housing associations on conducting tenant surveys.