Charter Marks (Hansard, 20 January 1995)

§ Mr. Nigel Griffiths
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will review the charter mark awarded to British Gas.
699W

Mr. Robert G. Hughes
We have naturally been concerned at some of the media coverage of British Gas in recent months and the citizens charter unit in the Cabinet Office has been talking to Ofgas and to the Gas Consumers Council, which collects detailed information about British Gas's service to customers. Ofgas's latest figures show that British Gas is meeting the targets for the 39 detailed standards of service set by the regulatory body.
The chairman of the Gas Consumers Council has now written to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster expressing concern at evidence of growing consumer dissatisfaction with British Gas's service. The letter stresses that the council has faith in British Gas as a company that puts safety first and deservedly earned the charter mark in 1993. It suggests that our monitoring of British Gas's charter mark should focus on the performance of the company's newly formed business units against the criteria by which the award was judged and that if British Gas no longer meets the criteria it should he given a time scale in which to make the necessary improvements.
The charter mark focuses on service to the customer and we are obviously always very interested in the views of bodies that represent customers. We will consider the council's concerns and seek to establish the facts. A decision on whether to take away a charter mark would be made only if there were a significant and sustained deterioration in service to the customer.

§ Mr. Nigel Griffiths
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what criteria are established for the awarding of charter marks to the privatised utilities.

Government expenditure on civil and defence research and development, as percentage of grand total: 1984–85 to 1994–95 (Percentage terms, rounded to nearest whole number)

1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95

¹Civil Research and Development 53 53 55 57 58 58 59 57 59 57 58

Defence 47 47 45 43 42 42 41 43 41 43 42

¹Grand Total £million 4,026 4,334 4,358 4,424 4,522 4,810 5,042 5,237 5,449 5,715 5,574

¹ Includes indicative UK contribution to the EC budget in respect of Research and Development.

Source:
Statistical supplement to the forward Look of Government-Funded science and Technology 1994 (table 1.3.1).

Government expenditure on civil and defence research and development, as percentage of grand total: 1984–85 to 1994–95 (Percentage terms, rounded to nearest whole number)
	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95
¹Civil Research and Development	53	53	55	57	58	58	59	57	59	57	58
Defence	47	47	45	43	42	42	41	43	41	43	42
¹Grand Total £million	4,026	4,334	4,358	4,424	4,522	4,810	5,042	5,237	5,449	5,715	5,574
¹ Includes indicative UK contribution to the EC budget in respect of Research and Development.