§ Mr. Ernie RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the targets he expects Registers of Scotland to achieve in the three-year period 1997 to 2000. [10871]
§ Mr. DewarI have set Registers of Scotland the following key targets for 1997–2000
for the trading fund to achieve a return of 6 per cent. on net capital employed over the three-year period ending 31 march 1999 and on a rolling basis thereafter;to continue the land register's extension programme and achieve the transfer of the counties of Perth, Angus and Kinross on 1 April 1999; Berwick, East Lothian, Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles on 1 October 1999; and Argyll and Bute on 1 April 2000;to maintain and enhance customer service through the retention of charter mark and by improving customer satisfaction on first registration turnround times to 75 per cent. by 31 March 2000;to reduce progressively the turnround time for sasine writs to 25 days by 31 March 1999 and 23 days by 31 March 2000;to reduce progressively the turnround time for dealings with whole on the land register to 25 days by 31 March 1999 and to remain at 25 days during 1999–00;to reduce unit costs by 5 per cent. in real terms for sasine writs by 31 March 2000 from the base of £33.07 at 31 March 1997;to reduce unit costs by 2.4 per cent. in real terms for dealings with whole by 31 March 2000 from the base of £56.05 at 31 March 1997;to launch a direct access service to existing pilot customers by 30 April 1997; andto complete the conversion of the existing land register counties to a digitised map and computer-based text system by 31 October 1997.