Statistical Services (Hansard, 20 October 1992)

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton

A review of Defence Statistics has been completed, and I am pleased to announce its establishment as a defence support agency from I July 1992, with the title the Defence Analytical Service Agency—DASA.

The DASA provides a variety of professional statistical and other analytical services which are essential to the conduct of the Ministry of Defence's business operations. As well as producing many of my Department's statistics, including those to Parliament, the Armed Forces Pay Review Body and the Top Salaries Review Body, it offers advice and assistance to a wide range of customers in my Department on areas such as manpower planning, financial management, logistic projects and personnel surveys.

The DASA is part of the Government statistical service. The chief executive is the head of profession for staff in the statistical grades in the Ministry of Defence, and chief statistical adviser to my Department. The first chief executive is Mr. Paul Altobell. The key targets that have been set for the agency in its first year of operation are as follows. I have arranged for copies of the framework document to be placed in the Library of both Houses.

Level and quality of service 1. About three-quarters of the agency's business is suitable by service level agreements—SLAs—with customers, which set out targets and standards for the level of service, timeliness and quality of work. For this part of the business key targets are:—

a. To introduce, in 1992–93, SLAs for 45 per cent. of this work and to increase this coverage to 75 per cent. and 100 per cent. in the following two years.
b. In 1992–93, to meet 95 per cent. of the targets set in the established SLAs.

2. For the remaining parts of the business—that for which SLAs are not appropriate—the key target is:— To establish, by April 1993, project control mechanisms which will include objectives, programmes and targets.3. To extend to all branches of the agency by October 1992 the measurement of perceived customer satisfaction, through the use of customer assessment questionnaires, and to establish customer satisfaction targets for future years.

Efficiency and use of resources 4. To implement the PROSPECT reductions in manpower of 10 per cent. in 1992–93 and 10 per cent. in 1993–94 with minimum reduction in output. 5. To increase efficiency in the production of regular statistical reports by 5 per cent. in 1992–93 and a further 10 per cent. over the next two years.

Management systems 6. To develop by April 1993 a task costing system to measure the resources used to produce the various outputs of the agency. 7. To complete by April 1993 a feasibility study to determine the potential for market testing and to establish a timetable for future work.