HC Deb 12 May 1999 vol 331 c172W
Ms Corston

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what performance targets have been set for the Rivers Agency for the financial year 1999–2000. [84081]

Marjorie Mowlam

The following Key Targets have been set for the Rivers Agency for 1999–2000.

To construct or refurbish 0.63 km of urban flood defences. To increase the length of designated sea defences having appropriate standards of protection to 32.5 per cent. To accommodate increased storm run-off from 126.5 hectares of development land. To replace/refurbish 1.616 km of dangerous culverts. To complete maintenance work on 265 km of urban watercourses and 1,203 km of rural watercourses. To issue substantive replies to 80 per cent. of written inquiries within 15 working days of receipt. To respond to 98 per cent. of Schedule 6 applications within 3 months. To control programme expenditure to within 0.5 per cent. shortfall of the final control total. To control DRC expenditure to within 1 per cent. shortfall of the final control total. To achieve 3 per cent. efficiency gains in the 1999–2000 financial year. The Rivers Agency Business Plan for 1999–2000 will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament at a later date.