§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what mechanisms exist for the independent monitoring of charter standards; and if he will give details of the mechanism for each public service covered by a charter.
§ Mr. David DavisUnder the citizens charter, each public service organisation is responsible for setting its own charter standards and ensuring that they are monitored. The public services publish details of actual performance against standards on a regular basis. Later this month, for example, the Department of Health will publish comparative information on the performance of health authorities. In November, the Department for Education will again publish performance tables for schools and colleges with students in the 16 to 18 age range. London Underground publishes four-weekly performance figures against its charter targets, and British Rail publishes four-weekly performance figures for the punctuality and reliability of lines.
The citizens charter second report published in March 1994 reports generally on the progress achieved in improving standards of service and gives details of new commitments made under the charter.