§ Mr. DunnTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what progress has been made towards establishing the royal parks as an executive agency; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BrookeI am pleased to announce that the Royal Parks Agency will be established today. The royal parks are London's most important recreational areas. They are important historic landscapes which make a vital contribution to the character of the city alongside its great buildings. The aims and objectives of the agency are set out in a framework document, copies of which will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament. I am confident that the managerial freedoms granted to the chief executive in the framework document will enable the Royal Parks Agency to provide the highest standards of excellence and customer service. The key targets which I have set the agency for its first year of operation are:
Conservation
1. To prepare up-to-date condition surveys and prepare renovation and forward maintenance programmes for trees, buildings and horticulture.
2. To develop and institute during 1993–94 an independent assessment of the horticultural quality of each of the Royal Parks.
Visitors
3. To develop and carry out surveys of visitors to the Royal Parks to identify their views and to develop a basis for setting and publishing targets relating to visitor satisfaction for future years.
Financial
4. To introduce charges for car parking in Hyde Park and Regent's Park by September 1993, and to increase by 5 per cent. income from all other sources, except for recharges and VAT refunds.
Citizen's Charter
5. To complete the implmentation of the Citizen's Charter in the Royal Parks. In particular, to publish a Charter standard statement, by the end of November, setting out quantifiable levels of customer service and to report regularly and publicly on performance against these standards.
Efficiency
6. To make efficiency savings of 1.5 per cent. on running costs.
7. To finalise an Information Technology strategy for the Agency, agree a phased programme for implementation and commence implementation in accordance with the programme.
Market Testing
8. To complete the market testing of the management of the works programme by June 1993, and to prepare a report to Ministers, by December 1993, on what further scope there is in the Agency for market testing work.
The chief executive, Mr. David Welch, will be directly accountable to me for the performance of the Royal Parks Agency. An independent advisory group will advise me on the agency's strategy and performance.