§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress his Department has made in meeting the service delivery targets set out in "Commitment to Service". [50319]
Dr. John CunninghamThe table sets out the performance achieved by Regional Service Centres during 1997/98 against the targets published in the Charter document "Commitment to Service", second edition.
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RSC Performance data (%) for financial year 1997/98—(unless otherwise specified) Total percentage Agricultural Wage Inspections Complaints 92 Wildlife and Countryside Act Licence applications 98 Correspondence Answered within 10 working days 98 Complaints Numbers receiving response within 10 working days 89 Notes:
1. The Five Year Set Aside Scheme closed for new applications on 30 September 1996. Performance data are therefore not included in the table. Similarly the Farm and Conservation Grant Scheme (1989) Non-Plan Claims has also been omitted: this scheme closed on 19 February 1996
2. Ten complaints were referred to the MAFF Adjudicator during the year. 3 of these were upheld, 6 were not upheld. One case is outstanding, pending the conclusion of legal action by the complainant
3. The relatively high failure rate for ESA Applications and ESA Conservation Plan Applications is due mainly to problems associated with IACS reconciliation. In the case of F&CGS 1991 Plan Claims, it is due to small numbers of claims giving rise to a disproportionate number of complex problems
4. The relatively high failure rate for the FWPS Claims and the Pilot NSA Claims are due to the diversion of staff resources to higher priority work
5. The total percentage has been calculated by setting the entire number of applications or claims cleared within the target time, against the total number received. Applications and claims not cleared due to reasons beyond our control (incorrect information supplied by applicant, etc.) are not included as failures to meet target
6. The Farm and Conservation Grant Scheme (1991) Plan applications, the Farm Diversification Grant Scheme (Capital Items) Claims, the Farm Diversification Grant Scheme (Feasibility and Marketing) Claims, and the Agricultural Improvement Scheme Plan Claims have all been omitted from the table, as the numbers involved are de-minimis