HC Deb 04 April 2000 vol 347 c459W
Mr. Russell Brown

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what targets will be set for the Valuation Office Agency for the year 2000–01. [117918]

Dawn Primarolo

I have set the following key targets for the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) in 2000–01:

Operational to clear 80 per cent. of 1995 List rating appeals outstanding as at 31 March 2000 by 31 December 2000 to publish by 31 October 2000 the first rolling two year forward programmes for clearance of 2000 list rating appeals to clear by 31 March 2001 council tax appeals equal to the number received in the 12 months to 30 September 2000. within a maximum of 52,000 appeals in England and 3,700 in Wales

Customer service and quality to secure Charter Mark awards for 25 per cent. of the VOA's Groups by 31 March 2001 to achieve specified standards for:

  1. valuation accuracy and
  2. timeliness
in 90 per cent. of cases

Finance and cost efficiency to break even after charging for the full cost of chargeable services including notional interest of 6 per cent. on the average working capital—measurement will be within a tolerance of the greater of 2 per cent. of relevant turnover or £1 million to achieve an increase in the VOA's efficiency index to 1.13 (1998–99 = 1.00).

Further details are contained in the Valuation Office's Forward Plan, copies of which will be placed in the Library of the House on publication.