§ Mr. Jacques ArnoldTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set his Department's National Weights and Measures Laboratory for 1997–98. [21660]
§ Mr. LangI have set the National Weights and Measures Laboratory the following targets for 1997–98:
- to ensure that external fee-earning activities remain self-financing;
- to meet the net vote target;
- to continue work to reduce the real cost of a programme hour by 4 per cent. over the period 1997–2000;
- to complete 85 per cent. of European type approvals within 10 weeks;
- to complete 95 per cent. of all calibration jobs—including preparation of certificates—within 18 working days of acceptance of the work; and
- to meet 60 per cent. of the milestones included in the work programme agreed with my Department's Consumer Affairs and Competition Policy Directorate.
In addition, I expect the chief executive of NWML to reply within 10 days to all letters from Members of Parliament delegated to him for reply.