§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what targets will be set for the Valuation Office executive agency for the year 1994–95.
§ Sir John CopeI have set the following key targets for the agency in 1994–95:
OPERATIONAL TARGETS
Council tax
To clear in aggregate some 730,000 appeals against the council tax valuation lists by 31 December 1994.Non-domestic rating
To clear 260,000 appeals against the 1990 non-domestic rating lists.To complete the revaluation of some 1.7 million non-domestic properties for new rating lists coming into effect on 1 April 1995.Direct taxes
To undertake 75,000 valuation cases for the Inland Revenue for capital gains and inheritance tax purposes.Other
To undertake 66,000 cases (and achieve receipts of some £25 million) in respect of chargeable work for other Government Departments, public bodies and local authorities.FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND COST EFFICIENCY
To ensure the agency's net operating costs are at least fully covered by receipts.To achieve efficiency savings of at least 4 per cent. on the agency's gross expenditure.To break even, year on year, within each business segment after charging for the full cost of services including notional interest of 6 per cent. on the average working capital.QUALITY OF SERVICE
To reply to 90 per cent. of all correspondence within 28 days of receipt and the remaining 10 per cent. within a further seven days.To achieve agreed or specified time limits in 95 per cent. of cases undertaken.To achieve a specified valuation quality standard in 83 per cent. of cases carried out.Further details are set out in the agency's business plan for 1994–95, copies of which will be placed in the Library of the House on publication.