§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those targets of the Defence Dental Agency for 1998–99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111733]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 6 March 2000]This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Dental Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the "right" hon. and learned Member.
Letter from I. G. McIntyre to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 7 March 2000:
I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning the 1998–99 achievement against targets as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive for the Defence Dental Agency.The Key Targets published for 1998–99 are listed below.Key Target 1:
From within available personnel resources, achieve 100% of required professional and military trained personnel, at the specified readiness for deployment in support of the National Contingency Force.Key Target 2:
To achieve an overall increase in dental fitness to 75% for Service personnel.Key Target 3:
Measures are to be implemented to target dental treatment towards clinical priority groups leading to a zero increase in the Treatment Needs performance indicator.Key Target 4:
To reduce the percentage of failed appointments with Dental Officers and the time wasted by such failures by 10%. To reduce the percentage of failed appointments with Dental Hygienists and the time wasted by such failures by 25%.Key Target 5:
To limit the number of personnel in dental fitness category D4 (not inspected for 12 months or more) to 15% of the total service population.Key Target 6:
To achieve a success rate for Dental Support Specialists training of 95% of the requirement which is determined by single Service manning supply.Of these targets 4 were achieved but Key Targets 2 and 4 were not met.For Key Target 2 the overall level of dental fitness achieved at the end of the reporting year was 72%. When the target was set, as had been previously recognised for 1997/99, we were not resourced to meet this target for the Army. It was therefore set as a purely "aspirational target". In 1999–2000 the aim is to maintain an agreed level of fitness as may be decided by mutual agreement with each of the Agency's three single Service customers.For Key Target 4 it was recognised that this parameter was not wholly or even primarily within the control of the Defence Dental Agency and this target does not therefore feature in the 1999–2000 targets set for the Agency.