HC Deb 23 October 2000 vol 355 cc65-7W
Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many letters of(a) complaint and (b) approbation have been received with regard to the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Trust Office on its Mental Health Service inquiry line. [134043]

Jane Kennedy

To date the Public Trust Office has received one letter of complaint with regard to the use of the touch tone steering system and no letters of approbation.

Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what value for money studies have been carried out regarding the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Trust Office on its Mental Health Service inquiry line. [134041]

Jane Kennedy

The Public Trust Office did not carry out a value for money study in relation to the touch tone steering system prior to its introduction. The use of the touch tone steering system means that clients do not have to hold on the line when all they want to do is request forms, and offers immediate access to these services at all hours.

Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many touch tone steering systems employed in his Department involve premium rates. [134044]

Jane Kennedy

The Lord Chancellor's Department does not employ premium rate lines on any of its touch tone steering systems.

Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 July 2000,Official Report, column 511W, if he will estimate the cost of ascertaining how many telephones in The Court Service and Land Registry make use of touch tone steering systems.[134048]

Jane Kennedy

The cost of ascertaining how many telephones make use of touch tone steering systems has been estimated as £700 in respect of The Court Service and £985 in respect of the Land Registry.

Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what staff savings have been made as a result of the use of the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Record Office on its Family Records Centre inquiry line. [134047]

Mr. Lock

No staff savings have been made as a result of the use of the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Record Office on its Family Records Centre inquiry line. The steering system was installed to enable the Family Records Centre to cope with a significant increase in the number of telephone calls without increasing the size of its staff.

Mr. Ben Chapmans

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what staff savings have been made as a result of the use of the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Trust Office on its Mental Health Service inquiry line. [134042]

Jane Kennedy

The work generated from calls to the touch tone steering system can be scheduled around less busy periods, and so the Public Trust Office estimates that there has been a notional saving in the hours worked equivalent to one member of staff.

Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what value for money studies have been carried out regarding the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Record Office on its Family Record Centre inquiry line. [134046]

Mr. Lock

No value for money studies have been carried out regarding the touch-tone steering system on its Family Records Centre enquiry line. The decision to introduce the system was taken by the management because of evident need for action to maintain the best possible service within the available resources.

Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many letters of(a) complaint and (b) approbation have been received with regard to the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Record Office on its Family Record Centre inquiry line.[134045]

Mr. Lock

The Public Record Office received two letters of complaint about the touch-tone steering system on its Family Records Centre enquiry line. No letters of approbation have been received.