Performance Targets (Hansard, 20 June 2002)

§ Jane Kennedy

Apart from those set out in its PSA, the Northern Ireland Office and its agencies apply the following performance targets:

Six service standards for central Government-standards set and, up until 2001, monitored by the Cabinet Office and performance results published in an annual report. Now monitored internally.

Handling of ministerial correspondence-standards set and monitored by the Cabinet Office. Performance results published by means of an arranged PQ.

Code of Practice on Government Information-standards set and monitored by the Lord Chancellor's Office with performance published in an annual report.

More details about these targets and NIO' s performance results can be found in its departmental report, the 2002 version due to be published on 14 June.

Further information on performance targets for our agencies and NDPBs are detailed as follows: Agencies Northern Ireland Prison Service

The Minister sets the key performance targets for the Northern Ireland Prison Service. The Director General is directly accountable to the Minister for the Prison Service's performance. The Director General, through the 'Fraser Figure', provides quarterly reports on performance against key targets to the Minister.

The table gives the targets set for the prison service from 1999–2000 to 2002–03 excluding PSA targets.

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Key targets 1999–2000 to 2002–03
Key business area	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–0
Staff and developing the service	An average minimum of five days development and training per member of staff	An average minimum of five days development and training per member of staff	An average minimum of five days development and training per member of staff. Representation in recruitment competitions of: (a) Women; (b) Roman Catholics; and (c) Other under-represented groups Lay annual report and audited accounts before Parliament prior to summer recess	An average minimum of five days development and training per member of staff. Deliver at least 85 per cent. of the planned training days associated with the agreed corporate training priorities
Finance, corporate governance and improving business performance	n/a	n/a	Lay annual report and audited accounts before Parliament prior to summer recess	Lay annual report and audited accounts before Parliament prior to summer recess
				Expenditure is within the budget allocated

Forensic Science Northern Ireland

The agency's key targets are set by the Minister and are published each year in the agency's corporate and business plan. Performance against these key targets is monitored by the NIO as the agency's parent Department. The agency's performance against key targets is published in its annual report and accounts. Both publications are presented to Parliament.

Compensation Agency

The performance targets for the Compensation Agency are set out in its published corporate plan 2001–04 and business plan 2001–02. The key performance targets are set by the departmental Minister and are monitored on a quarterly basis by the Department and reported to the Minister. Outturn against targets are published annually in the agency's annual report and accounts which are laid in Parliament.

NDPSs

Juvenile Justice Board

The Juvenile Justice Board was appointed on a temporary basis in July 2000, pending the creation of a youth justice agency as recommended following a review of the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland. The board currently operates on the basis of a ministerial strategic steer which it is then required to convert into an agreed action plan. The current programme which covers the period August 2001 to July 2002 includes the following key issues:

Regime development.
Revised assessment procedures.
Updated child protection procedures.

In addition, and in preparation for establishing a purpose-built single centre at Rathgael, the board is also required to develop and further provide:

Staff training—to ensure that staff have all the necessary skills required to meet the objectives set by the board.

Community projects—which seek to provide further support for vulnerable young people in the community.

The board has responsibility for on-going monitoring of each of the key action points and formal meetings are held with the Northern Ireland Office at regular intervals to review progress. The Northern Ireland Office retains responsibility for routine monitoring of related expenditure.

Percentage
	Target for 2000–01	Target for 2001–02	Target for 2002–03
The proportion of induction interviews arranged within five working days of sentence	90	97	98
The achievement of the agreed standards regarding minimum levels of contact:
Offered	90	92	92
Kept	40	45	60
The proportion of supervision plans (within an agreed sample of 224) written to the agreed Standards	80	80	83
Where breaches of proceedings are appropriate, the proportion commenced within 10 working days of the incident occurring (within an agreed sample of 224)	85	85	87

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Police Service for Northern Ireland

The performance targets for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (formerly the Royal Ulster Constabulary) from 1999 to 2004 can be found in the following publications:

A Policing Plan for Northern Ireland 1999–2000 (published by the Police Authority for Northern Ireland)
A Policing Plan for Northern Ireland 2000–01 (published by the Police Authority for Northern Ireland)
A Policing Plan for Northern Ireland 2001–02 (published by the Police Authority for Northern Ireland)
Policing Plan 2002–05 (published by the Northern Ireland Policing Board).

The performance targets are (a) set by the Northern Ireland Policing Board (formerly the Police Authority for Northern Ireland); and (b) achievement is monitored by the Northern Ireland Policing Board and actual performance against targets is contained in the Northern Ireland Policing Board's annual report.

Ombudsman

The performance targets for the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland are contained in their corporate plan and annual business plan. The performance targets are (a) set by the Police Ombudsman and (b) achievement is monitored by the Police Ombudsman and actual performance against targets is contained in the Police Ombudsman's annual report which is laid in Parliament.

PBNI Performance Indicators

Performance targets for the Probation Board for Northern Ireland are agreed on an annual basis by the Department on behalf of the Secretary of State in accordance with the Probation Board Management Statement. The management statement has been in place since April 1999 and the following table outlines the performance indicators which have been agreed to date. Achievement of the targets is monitored by the Department at regular overview meetings and at the end of year Ministerial Accountability Review. The targets are set out in the Probation Board annual business plan and achievement levels are recorded in the relevant annual report. Information prior to 2000–01 is not readily accessible and was in a different format. The targets outlined are those agreed as a result of the development of the management statement.

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Percentage
	Target for 2000–01	Target for 2001–02	Target for 2002–03
The proportion of offenders subject to an active community service order that work an average of five hours or more per week (within an agreed sample of 224)	85	85	87
The proportion of community service orders that complete their sentence within 12 months	85	95	97
The proportion of offenders whose risk assessment is reviewed at least ev ery four months	80	85	90
The proportion of pre-sentence reports or explanatory letters delivered to the courts by the date specified by the court	95	98	99