§ Mr. BatesTo ask the Attorney-General what further progress he has made towards establishing executive agencies in his Department under the Government's next steps initiative; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralOn 18 February 1992, my predecessor informed the House,Official Report, columns 71–72, that the Treasury Solicitor's department property division had been selected as a candidate for executive agency status. I am pleased to announce that I shall be establishing the Government property lawyers as an Executive Agency on 1 April, as envisaged by my predecessor. I will ensure that the chief executive has clear responsibilities for improvements in efficiency, effectiveness and quality of service. These responsibilities will be set out in the agency's framework document, which will be published and copies placed in the Library.
Targets are set out in the agency's strategic plan and will form part of its annual business plans. An annual report and accounts will be produced, and copies also put in the Library.
The Government Property Lawyers Agency is at present the property division of the Treasury Solicitor's department. It has about 130 staff based in Taunton. The agency will continue to provide conveyancing and lands advisory services to Government Departments and other publicly funded bodies but on a more commercial basis. It will have to compete with private firms of solicitors for the services it provides. The establishment of the Government property lawyers as an executive agency will provide the appropriate structure and discipline to enhance its ability to supply a more efficient, economic and effective delivery of conveyancing and lands advisory services to its clients. I have approved the appointment of Mr. Anthony Osborne, the present head of the property division, to be the agency's first chief executive.
The key performance targets are as follows: 17W
For 1993–94: to recover the full operating cost of the agency; to achieve 6,000 new instructions from its clients; to increase the number of completions effected to 5,910; to maintain and improve the quality of service, in particular by keeping the proportions of cases completed satisfactorily (ie without requiring rectification by reason of any fault of the agency) on or before the target date at or above the current rate of 99.5 per cent.Over the three-year period of the strategic plan: to achieve a steady reduction in operating costs of an average of 2 per cent. per year in real terms.I wish the chief executive and his staff every success for the future.