§ Liz BlackmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Defence Vetting Agency in the financial year 1999–2000. [92695]
§ Mr. SpellarThe Defence Vetting Agency was launched on 1 April 1997 with a staff of 349, at four separate Units in Central London, Portsmouth, Woolwich and Corsham. The Agency carries out some 130,000 vetting checks and investigations each year. The Agency538W is embarked on an ambitious modernisation programme aimed at creating a highly responsive and highly efficient, integrated organisation, exploiting the capabilities of modern information technology to the benefit of its customers. Central to the modernisation initiative is collocation of the Agency at York. 1999–2000 will see the run up to collocation. The Chief Executive has been set the following Key Targets:
QualityKey Target 1At least a 90 per cent. success rating in dealing with Contentious Cases, and zero Serious Errors.TimelinessKey Target 2To complete 87 per cent. of Security Checks within 6 weeks (30 working days).Key Target 3To complete 84 per cent. of Counter Terrorist Checks within 6 weeks (30 working days).Key Target 4To complete 90 per cent. of all Developed Vetting clearances within 6 months (120 working days).Key Target 5To maintain average times for Security Checks and Counter Terrorist Checks of 4 weeks (20 working days) and 4.6 weeks (23 working days) respectively, and to complete Developed Vetting clearances on average within 3.1 months (62 working days).EfficiencyKey Target 6To maintain the Financial Year 1998–99 Unit Cost of Output.I have arranged for advance copies of the Corporate Plan to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.