HL Deb 05 May 1998 vol 589 cc47-8WA
The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What performance targets they have set the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in 1998–99. [HL1697]

Lord Donoughue

The Government have set the following performance targets for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) for 1998–99:

Safety and Quality

Enter Suspected Adverse Reaction Surveillance Scheme (SARSS) reports on to the database as follows:

  • human reports: within 2 working days
  • serious animal reports: within 2 working days
  • non-serious animal reports: within 10 working days.

Report to the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) each quarter, reviewing trends in SARSS reports and identifying areas requiring evaluation.

Collect and analyse 95 per cent. of the samples in the national residues surveillance plan.

Provide high quality policy advice to Ministers.

Provide high quality scientific assessment work.

Standards of Service

100 per cent. compliance with timetables for centralised and decentralised authorisation procedures (including maximum residue limits).

90 per cent. of new marketing authorisations to be determined or referred to the VPC within 120 clock days.

100 per cent. of new marketing authorisations to be determined within 210 clock days.

100 per cent. of valid applications to have first assessment by 75 clock days and to be determined by 150 clock days.

100 per cent. of valid renewal applications to have first assessment by 90 clock days and to be determined by 180 clock days.

People

Achieve Investors in People accreditation by 31 March 1999.

Finance Control

Recover from industry and government the full economic cost (calculated according to accruals accounting) of each of its main business activities (licensing and surveillance; policy work; residue monitoring).

Operate within the net cash allocations agreed for VMD by MAFF's Management Board.