HC Deb 20 March 1997 vol 292 cc785-6W
Mr. French

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set his Department's Radiocommunications Agency for 1997–98. [21658]

Mr. Lang

I have set the Radiocommunications Agency the following quality of service targets for 1997–98 in respect of its licensing work and enforcement activities. These are in addition to achieving an overall efficiency improvement of 4 per cent. over 1996–97 and continuing to recover the full costs of its activities from customers.

  • Licensing
  • Category A: Licences that involve no frequency assignment, site clearance or international co-ordination; 100 per cent. of applications and amendments to be processed and despatched within five working days.
  • Category B: Licences that involve frequency assignment but no site clearance or international co-ordination; 90 per cent. of applications and amendments to be processed and despatched within 15 working days; remainder to be processed and despatched within 25 working days or an explanation for any delay provided to the applicant.
  • Category C: Licences that require frequency assignment and site clearance and/or international co-ordination; 90 per cent. of applications and amendments to be processed and despatched within 40 working days; remainder to be processed and despatched within 60 working days or an explanation of the delay provided to the applicant.
  • Category D: Renewals of all licences in category A to be processed and despatched within five working days; renewals of licences in categories B and C to be processed and despatched within 10 working days.
  • Enforcement
  • 100 per cent. of safety of life services reports of interference to be investigated within 24 hours.
  • 98 per cent. of business customers reports of interference to be investigated within five working days, the remainder within a further 10 days.
  • 98 per cent. of domestic customers reports of interference to be investigated within 1 month, the remainder within a further month.

I also expect the agency's enquiry point to respond to 92 per cent. of calls within 30 seconds, and 95 per cent. of all invoices to be paid within 30 days, or within the timescale agreed with suppliers and the remainder to be dealt with within a further 30 days. In addition, the chief executive will continue to reply within 10 working days to all letters from Members of Parliament delegated to him for reply and to all written complaints addressed to him about the agency's services.

Mr. French

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the agency review of the Radiocommunications Agency has been completed; and if he will make a statement. [21661]

Mr. Lang

A report on the prior options review of the Radiocommunications Agency has been completed. Copies of this document, which completes the agency review process, have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.