Performance Targets (Hansard, 30 March 2000)

§ Mr. Darling

The targets I have set the Child Support Agency (CSA), War Pensions Agency (WPA) and The Appeals Service (TAS) for 2000–01 are as given. The targets reflect our determination to reform the welfare state and to modernise the Social Security system to encourage work for those who can and provide security for those who cannot. They underpin the Departmental Aim and Objectives set out in our Public Service Agreement.

Further information on CSA, WPA and TAS plans for 2000–01 is contained in their individual business plans, which have been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.

The targets I have set for the Benefits Agency and publication of its Business Plan will be announced in due course.

Targets for 2000–01 are: CSA Secretary of State Targets 2000–2001

Outstanding Work The Agency will reduce its outstanding work to a prescribed level in all key business processes by 31 March 2001. The reduction in outstanding work to be achieved is based on a prescribed level of work equivalent to (x) weeks of intake and is different for each business process:

Pre Maintenance Assessment (18 weeks)
Revisions, Super cessions and Case Checks (6.2 weeks)
Account Advice (4 weeks)
Interim Maintenance Assessment (49 weeks)
Account Maintenance (1.4 weeks)
Debt Management (12 weeks)
Enforcement (30 weeks)

Case Compliance To collect child maintenance and arrears from 71 per cent, of non resident parents with maintenance liability due to be paid through the Agency's collection service.

Cash Compliance To collect 68 per cent, of child maintenance and arrears due for payment through the Agency's collection service.

Accuracy The cash value of all assessments checked in the year to be correct to the nearest penny in at least 78 per cent, of cases.

Complaints To reduce the number of complaints received compared with current caseload to less than 0.15 per cent.

Customer Service Standards The Agency will demonstrate improvement across the range of the Customer Service Standards.

Secretary of State Milestone Targets

The Change Agenda—Child Support Reform

(a) establish Process Learning Centres by 30 April 2000
(b) complete the introduction of customer account statements for clients by 30 June 2000
(c) establish a Model Office by 31 December 2000
(d) commence data cleansing by 31 January 2001

Debt Reduction To reduce the outstanding level of debt owing from full maintenance assessments at 31 March 2000 by 25 per cent, by 31 March 2001.

Staffing

(a) by March 2001, work with others in the Department to develop, pilot and evaluate new ways of measuring staff perception of the organisation to improve satisfaction and motivation; and
(b) contribute to the reduction in public sector sickness by reducing absences by 10 per cent, from 1998 Public Service Agreement baseline levels by 31 December 2000.

Investors in People Individual Business Units will maintain Investors in People accreditation during 2000–01 and the Agency will achieve Investors in People accreditation by 31 March 2001.

Fraud/Security Measures To develop and implement shadow measures for fraud/security by 1 July 2000; and for these measures to be reported on for the remainder of the year to inform the development of targets for 2001–02.

Customer Service Standards:

Payments 98 per cent, of payments made to the Parent with Care (or their bank or building society) to be made within 10 working days of receipt from the Non Resident Parent.

Customer Account Statements When requested, we aim to issue the majority of customer account statements within 40 working days.

Office Interview 98 per cent, of clients to be seen within 10 minutes of the time of a pre-booked office appointment.

Client Help lines and the National Enquiry Line 80 per cent, of telephone calls to Client Help lines and the National Enquiry Line to be answered first time.

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Correspondence 65 per cent, of letters to be answered within 10 working days of receipt.

Customer Satisfaction 95 per cent, of customers surveyed on quality call backs (following contact with the National Enquiry Line/Client Help lines and Face-to-Face) to be at least satisfied with the service received.

Complaints To resolve the majority of customer complaints within 20 working days of receipt.

The Appeals Service Agency Targets 2000–01

Active Customer Focused Service Delivery

1. By March 2001, the average waiting time for an appeal to be heard will be no more than 14 weeks from time of receipt within the Appeals Service.
2. By March 2001, no more than 10 per cent, of cases will have been outstanding for more than 26 weeks.
3. To publish a Service First Statement, put in place arrangements to collect information on performance against the new measures, and meet the published standards.
4. To put in place monitoring systems to allow a Secretary of State target for customer satisfaction to be set in April 2001.
5. To reduce instances of avoidable adjournments by 25 per cent.

Investing in People

6. To lead and manage people effectively through specified measures and contribute to the reduction in public sector sickness absence levels by reducing absences by 10 per cent, from 1998 Public Service Agreement baseline levels by 31 December 2000.

7. By 31 March 2001, work with others in the Department to develop, pilot and evaluate new ways of measuring staff perception of the organisation to improve satisfaction and motivation.

War Pensions Agency Targets 2000–01

Putting Service First 1. To deliver a quality service to war pensioners and war widows by achieving the standards published in the War Pensions Agency's Service First Charter.

Working in Partnership 2.By 31 March 2001, to implement those recommendations of the 1999 War Pensions Agency Prior Options Review which relate to the objectives of the War Pensioners' Welfare Service and the partnership opportunities associated with the management of the Ilford Park Polish Home to the standards and timetable agreed with the Department.

Modernisation and Managing Change 3. To work with the Lord Chancellor's Department, Ministry of Defence and the voluntary sector/ex-service organisations to implement the recommendations of the War Pensions Agency's 1999 Decision Making and Appeals Study to the standards and timetable agreed with the Department.

Valuing our People 4. To lead and manage people effectively through specified measures and contribute to the reduction in public sickness absence levels by reducing absences by 17 per cent, from 1998 Public Service Agreement baseline levels by 31 December 2000.

Efficiency 5.To generate efficiencies during 2000–01 to absorb the effect of pay and price pressures; and introduce additional cost saving measures that will enable the War Pensions Agency to operate within its running cost allocation.