RAF Signals Engineering Establishment (Hansard, 8 March 2000)

§ Dr. Moonie

This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.

Letter from C. M. Davison to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 6 March 2000: I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you ask for details of those targets for the RAF Signals Engineering Establishment for 1998–99 which were, and were not, achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each 691W case, and detailing the action taken by the Agency to improve target achievement in 1999–2000. These matters fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of the Agency. The Agency Key Targets and achievement against each one were published in the Annual Report and Accounts for 1998–99 (Publication HC 677 Page 12 refers). Eight of the nine Targets were achieved. The Target not achieved—the attainment of Investors in People accreditation by 31 December 1998—was revised during the

Achievement against key ministerial targets
		Targets, outturns and achievements
		1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	Targets for 1999–2000
Efficiency
To reduce the cost per task manhour, at full cost, compared with the FY 1996–97 figure	Target	Baseline set at £62.50	Less than 95%	Less than 93%	Less than 85%²
	Outturn	—¹	90.6%	83.65%	—
Reduce the core as far as possible and continue to refine it against the operational need	Target	Review and reduce to minimum	Review and reduce to minimum	Review and reduce to minimum	³—
	Outturn	Achieved	Achieved	Achieved	—
Throughput
Maintain core skills needed to support likely operations	Target	Maintain skills	Maintain skills	Maintain skills	³—
	Outturn	Achieved	Achieved	Achieved	—
Deliver operational tasks on time	Target	100%	100%	100%	100%
	Outturn	100%	100%	100%	—
Deliver non-operational tasks on time	Target	More than 80%	More than 85%	More than 90%	More than 92%
	Outturn	87.3%	87.75%	93.5%	—
Quality
To reduce the number of quality failures in completed tasks	Target	Less than 5%	Less than 5%	Less than 4%	Less than 1.5%
	Outturn	1%	3%	1.4%	—
Financial Performance
Develop an improved costing system which will interface effectively with the MOD's overall approach to Resource Accounting and Budgeting	Target	No Target	No Target	Develop costing system	³—
	Outturn	⁴—	⁴—	Achieved	³—
Miscellaneous
Complete an Action Plan to resolve the Year 2000 IT problem by 30 September 1998	Target	No Target	No Target	Complete Plan	⁵—
	Outturn	⁴—	⁴—	Achieved	—
Achieve Investors in People Accreditation by 31 December 1998	Target	No Target	No Target	Achieve by 31 December 1998	⁵—
	Outturn	⁴—	⁴—	Not achieved⁶	—
¹ Previous figures based on cash cost
² In real terms
³ Not a Key Target for this year following revised guidance
⁴ Not applicable
⁵ Not a Key Target for this year
⁶ The target was revised during the year following a mock assessment. The assessment took place in March 1999. We have been informed that a positive recommendation will be made to the assessment panel on 23 July 1999.