Veterinary Medicines Directorate (Hansard, 4 May 1999)

§ Lord Donoughue

We have set the Veterinary Medicines Directorate the following performance targets for 1999–2000.

Safety and Quality

1. To provide high quality scientific assessment work.
2. To provide high quality policy advice to Ministers.
3. To enter Suspected Adverse Reactions Surveillance Scheme (SARSS) reports on to the database as follows:
- Human SAR reports: within 2 working days
- Serious animal reports: within 2 working days
- Non-serious animal reports: within 10 working days.
4. To report to the Veterinary Products Committee each quarter reviewing trends in SARSS reports and identifying areas requiring evaluation.
5. To collect 100 per cent. and analyse at least 95 per cent. of the samples collected in the national residues surveillance plan. Standards of Service
6. 100 per cent. compliance with timetables for centralised and decentralised authorisation procedures (including Maximum Residue Limits).
7. 92 per cent. of new marketing authorisations to be determined or referred to VPC within 120 clock days.
8. 100 per cent. of new marketing authorisations to be determined within 210 clock days.
9. 100 per cent. of valid variation applications to have first assessment by 75 clock days and to be determined by 150 clock days.
10. 100 per cent. of valid renewal applications to have first assessment by 90 clock days and to be determined by 180 clock days.
Efficiency 11. To develop new efficiency indicators that will apply from 1 April 2000.
Financial Control 12. To recover from industry and government the full economic cost (calculated according to accruals accounting) of each of its main business activities of:
- licensing and surveillance
- policy work
- residue monitoring.
13. To operate within 95 per cent. to 100 per cent. of allocations by MAFF Management Board for running costs, capital and receipts.