Next Steps Agencies (Hansard, 31 January 1995)

§ Dr. Mawhinney

The chief executives of each of the Department's agencies have written to the right hon. Member with the specific information for each agency. In 1987–88, before the first departmental agency was established, the total number of staff in the Department was 15,286. In 1994–95 the equivalent figure for the Department, including agencies, is 13,755. Further reductions in staff are planned for 1995–96. The creation of agencies in the Department has led to improved performance through better targeting and clarification of responsibilities.

Letter from C. J. Harris to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 30 January 1995: The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question as this question deals with an operational matter, for which I have responsibility as Chief Executive. The answers to the questions raised are as follows:

(1) The Coastguard Agency (TCA) HQ is located in Spring Place, Southampton. This property is shared with the Marine Safety Agency (MSA) HQ and the Southampton Marine Office. The move to this building has nothing to do with agency status. The Marine Emergencies Organisation (now TCA) HQ, the Surveyor General's Organisation (now MSA) HQ and the Southampton Marine Office were relocated from London to Southampton in May 1993 prior to Agency status. The annual rent on this property is £1.2 million, a saving of some £0.74 million on rented costs of previous accommodation.
(2) The Coastguard Agency has recruited 3 permanent and one temporary member of staff to deal with the additional requirements of Agency status.
(3) The Agency publishes a quarterly magazine "The Coastguard Magazine". This periodical predates the Agency having been published in a similar format for many years, and first produced in 1946. The current cost is £48,000 per annum.
(4) No fleets of executive cars or single executive cars have been purchased by the Agency.
(5) The costs of preparing a specially designed logo was £7,285.
(6) Her Majesty's Coastguard which is part of the Agency has 473 staff who have been in uniform for many years. The 12 Marine Pollution Control Unit staff who may have to attend the scene of an oil spill are provided with protective clothing. No other agency staff wear corporate clothing.
(7) Previous stocks of stationery were run down so that no additional costs were incurred for the design and printing of corporate stationery.

Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 30 January 1995: The Secretary of State has asked me to provide details for the Marine Safety Agency (MSA) in response to your Question about Next Steps Agencies.

Headquarters building The MSA Headquarters is co-located in Spring Place Southampton with the Coastguard Agency Headquarters. Spring Place is a leased property and is part of the Coastguard Agency estate and costs are borne on their budget.

Support staff The Surveyor General's Organisation (from which MSA was formed) took over most of its own support function (personnel, finance, IT, etc) in 1991. There have been no changes in support staff as a result of the move to Agency status.

Periodical journals The MSA issues a staff newsletter six times a year. The cost is small as it is copied and distributed in-house.

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Cars The MSA has no official vehicles and does not provide cars for any of its staff.

Logo The MSA logo was designed in-house at no cost.

Corporate clothing The only "corporate" clothing used by MSA is high visibility protective clothing for use by operational surveyors which incorporates the MSA logo. This cost £27k in 1993–94 and replaced previous protective clothing allowance.

MSA stationery The MSA corporate stationery was designed in house by the Department's drawing office team and has replaced the Departmental stationery used by the SGO. The printing of the MSA stationery costs no more than the original DOT corporate printed stationery.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 30 January 1995: With reference to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State of Transport about Next Steps Agencies in his Department the information requested in relation to the Highways Agency is as follows:

(i) The headquarters of this Agency has been brought together in St. Christopher House, Southwark Street, London, a building already on the Government's Common User Estate.
(ii) In general the staff of the Agency are those who were previously carrying out its functions in the Department of Transport. Two senior staff have been recruited from the private sector following open competitions, the Chief Executive and the Finance Director. The arrival of the latter will be offset by the departure of one of the original directors who will leave the Agency later in the year. Since the establishment of the Agency in April 1994 staff numbers have reduced and this will continue.
(iii) The Highways Agency has not instituted publication of a periodical journal.
(iv) The Highways Agency has not acquired any executive cars not has it provided corporate clothing.
(v) Revised stationery using Agency headings was introduced under standard supply and usage contracts.
(vi) The fee paid for the design of the Agency's logo was £1,250.

Letter from John Wootton to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 30 January 1995: The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question on the cost of the change to Agency status. The answers to the points raised in your question are set out below: The setting up of TRL as an executive agency did not require the acquisition of new HQ buildings. TRL does not have any executive cars nor does it supply staff with specific corporate clothing. Some work and protective clothing has had the TRL logo applied to it a minimal cost. TRL publishes its research and findings widely as part of its dissemination role. Since becoming an agency these publications have been revised to include another, "TRL News", which costs £9,200 annually to produce. Prior to establishment as an executive agency TRL was required to increase its Personnel, section competence. One member of staff was seconded to TRL for approximately 6 months. Since then the number of support staff has been reduced in all areas of TRL operation in accordance with its published business plan. TRL, formerly TRRL, commissioned a revision of its old logo and the production of a design manual at the cost of £9,000.

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Letter from L Manley to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 30 January 1995: The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about certain operational matters concerning the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). The information you requested is provided below: HQ building: The annual rental for Stanley House, Nottingham is £341,614. This replaced existing accommodation at 2 Marsham Street, London. The cost of providing in-going services at Stanley House was £712,000. An evaluation carried out after DSA relocated showed a benefit in net present value terms of nearly £3 million over 10 years, with payback occurring within 3 years of the move. Payback has been achieved. Support staff: DSA recruited 13 new staff to run the new building on relocation (including typists, support grades, office manager and deputy and administrative support). The costs were fully offset by a reduction in the charges made to DSA by Department of Transport (Central). Periodical journal: DSA does not publish any periodical journals. Executive cars: DSA does not have any executive cars. Corporate logo: The DSA logo was chosen from suggestions put forward by staff. Corporate clothing: DSA does not have corporate clothing. Stationery: Over the last 12 months the cost of DSA stationery for use in HQ and DSA's Regional Offices was £5,357. This replaced previous use of Department of Transport paper. Overall, there has been a substantial reduction in the level of on-costs paid to DOT(C) by DSA for services now provided in-house.

Letter from Ron Oliver to Gerald Kaufman, dated 30 January 1995:

Next Steps Agencies—Vehicle Inspectorate Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question on Executive Agencies, on matters relating to the Vehicle Inspectorate (VI). Taking your points in turn:

(i) VI has 2 sites which are occupied by staff undertaking HQ or support-type services. Both of these properties were occupied prior to the Agency being set up and were purchased, or rental contracts entered into, when VI was within the Department.
(ii) The number of staff involved in support services has remained largely static since before the Agency was set up, though the activities undertaken have changed. Prior to its becoming an Agency, the Inspectorate had well-developed 'in house' Finance and Personnel functions.
(iii) The actual number of VI employees (calculated in whole staff years) has reduced from 1,869 in 1988/89 (this figure has been adjusted to include the Traffic Examiner organisation which merged with VI in 1992/93) to a figure of 1,618 currently.
(iv) VI does not publish periodical journals to customers, or to any other body, but does publish staff newsletters. These newsletters have an annual cost of approximately £10,000.
(v) VI does not have any "executive" cars but does have a fleet of 43 "pool" cars for use by all staff. Of these, 6 are based at the HQ offices and the remaining 37 are located at our enforcement offices across the country. Some vehicles were also provided prior to the Agency being set up.
(vi) The VI logo was modified at the time the Agency was established to incorporate the words "Executive Agency". This was undertaken at minimal cost.
(vii) VI does not provide corporate clothing. However the Inspectorate does provide, and did provide prior to the Agency's establishment, protective clothing to staff.
(viii) VI does use headed stationery incorporating the VI logo. This replaced the previous headed paper used by the Inspectorate prior to the Agency being set up.

Please contact me if you need further information.

Letter from Dr. S. J. Ford to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 30 January 1993: The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question on Executive Agencies, on matters relating to the 593W Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). Taking your points in turn:

(i) DVLA has not acquired its own HQ building as a consequence of becoming an agency.
(ii) Annual cost—not applicable.
(iii) No additional support staff have been required since becoming an agency: DVL Directorate already exercised a considerable degree of delegated authority before agency status.
(iv) DVLA publishes twice a year `DVL Today' mainly to inform corporate customers such as the motor trade, the police and the courts about key developments and changes. Annual cost £35,000. DVLA also publishes a monthly staff journal "LICENCE" at an annual cost of £40,000. This was published before DVLA became an agency.
(v) DVLA now operates 1 official car compared with 2 before becoming an agency, and is about to surrender the remaining vehicle.
(vi) The DVLA logo was produced by a member of staff in an internal competition with professional assistance at a total cost of £1,000 for the final product.
(vii) The design of existing official clothing for messengers was changed and now costs £1,000 a year less than before agency.
(viii) There was no extra cost in incorporating the DVLA logo on specially designed and printed corporate stationery as existing stocks of stationery had to be replenished.

Letter from Peter Nicholl to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 30 January 1995: In the absence of the Chief Executive on Agency business, I have been asked by the Secretary of State to reply to the questions you raised insofar as they relate to the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA). Taking your questions in order:

1. In April 1990, some 3 weeks after its establishment as an executive agency, VCA moved from a shared Government building in central Bristol to a new headquarters in rented single-occupier offices 2 miles from the centre. A study carried out at the time indicated that the move represented value for money. The current annual rent is £156,007.32.
2. VCA now has 11 staff providing support services which were previously provided centrally. (VCA's staff numbers were 73 in the year immediately prior to its establishment as an agency, 80 in its first year, and 75 by its fourth year 1993–94).
3. VCA does not publish any periodical journals.
4. VCA does not have a fleet of executive cars nor any single executive cars.
5. VCA's logo initially derived from an in-house competition. Its design was improved last year at relatively low cost. (Please see item 7 below).
6. VCA's staff do not have corporate clothing.
7. VCA's stationery was originally designed by HMSO at a cost which cannot now easily be traced. The design of the logo and stationery was upgraded last year at a cost of £1,163.25. Supplies of stationery in this form are obtained when needed at the most economical cost that can be found.

I would be happy to answer any other questions you may have about VCA's operations.