§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what performance targets he has set for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for 1996–97; and if he will make a statement. [30111]
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§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe chief executive of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate—VMD—has submitted his proposals to me and I have agreed that the VMD should be set the following performance targets for 1996–97:
- to achieve full cost recovery for its three remain business activities of licensing and surveillance, policy work and residue monitoring;
- to determine 80 per cent. of new marketing authorisations within 120 clock days; 95 per cent. within 200 clock days;
- to achieve a 3 per cent. efficiency gain;
- to comply with the budgetary controls resulting from the public expenditure survey—PES—and the supply estimates; and
- to determine 90 per cent. of all renewals and variations outstanding on 1 April 1996 by 31 December 1996, and to introduce new internal targets for processing renewals and variations from 1 October 1996.
These are challenging targets which will continue to build on the improvements already made in efficiency and quality of service provided by the directorate since its establishment as a next steps agency, and for which I commend the chief executive and his staff. In addition, I have agreed the VMD's corporate plan for 1996–97 to 1998–99, and copies are being placed in the Library of the House and the Public Information Office.