§ Mr. DevlinTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set his Department's accounts services agency for 1994–95.
§ Mr. HeseltineOn 11 February 1994,Official Report, columns 505-6, my hon. Friend, the Minister for Industry and Energy announced that the services provided to the Department by its accounts services agency were to be contracted out. To ensure that it has a range of targets to focus on whilst this process is being completed, I have set it the following targets for 1994–95. They also appear in the agency's annual report and accounts for 1993–94 which were laid before the House on 13 July 1994 (HC523):
To continue to recover its full costs from income for customer work;To fulfil its operational commitments without calling on the Department to provide a net cash requirement in vote terms;181WTo achieve a 4 per cent. unit cost reduction over last year based on a mix of services that are provided. The percentage reduction achieved by 30 September to be at least two per cent.;To make 97 per cent. of all payments within three working days of receipt of the authorisation to pay;To bank all cheques within 36 hours of receipt by the agency, with at least 75 per cent. of cheques being banked within eight hours of receipt.At the end of each month to ensure that all notified transactions are properly recorded on the Department's financial management information system by the start of the fifth working day of the following month; that operating statements are produced and despatched by the start of the sixth working day of the following month.In addition, I expect the chief executive of the agency to continue to reply within 10 working days to all letters from Members of Parliament delegated to him for reply.