HC Deb 30 June 1992 vol 210 cc514-5W
Mr. Onslow

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future operation of the defence operational analysis establishment at West Byfleet.

Mr. Aitken

As was announced on 22 July 1991,Official Report, column 448, the defence operational analysis establishment ( DOAE) was among the candidate organisations under consideration for defence support agency (DSA) status. The review of DOAE for agency status has been completed and I am pleased to announce that it will become established as a defence support agency on 1 July 1992 under the title of the Defence Operational Analysis Centre (DOAC). The director of the establishment, Dr David Leadbeater, has been appointed the chief executive.

There will be no change in the role of the agency. Its aim will continue to be to provide the Ministry of Defence with advice on formulation of defence policy, military operational capability and future equipment requirements; this advice being derived from operational analysis studies and field trials. The greater freedom and flexibility now granted to the director general will provide him with new opportunities to enhance this role.

The move to agency status will build on DOAE's reputation in the field of operational analysis by further improving the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of the work carried out by the centre. In order to bring about these improvements, the director general has been set the following range of challenging key performance targets:

Service to customers

  1. a. In 1992–93, to complete 75 per cent. of the planned studies for customers within agreed time scales, and to seek progressive improvements in future years.
  2. b. In 1992–93, to complete 75 per cent. of the planned studies for customers within planned cost, and to seek progressive improvements in future years.
  3. c. In 1992–93, to subject 40 per cent. of new major studies to a formal quality plan, which will require peer review and measures of customer satisfaction, and in 1993–94 to increase this to 100 per cent. and to propose for future years a challenging quality target.
  4. d. In 1992–93, to respond to 80 per cent. of requests from MoD customers for unplanned urgent advice within time scales negotiated at the outset and to seek progressive improvements in future years.

Management Systems

e. In 1992–93, to introduce a full cost system of accounting and to publish auditable accruals-based accounts in future years.

Efficiency

f. While implementing input reductions resulting from "Options for Change", to increase overall efficiency by 2 per cent. in 1992–93 and to achieve progressive improvements in subsequent years.

I wish the chief executive and the staff of the centre every success.