Performance Targets

HC Deb 25 June 2002 vol 387 cc781-2W

Tony Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the performance targets that his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are required to meet, apart from those set out in the public service agreements for 1999 to 2002 and 2001 to 2004; and if he will specify for each target(a) who sets it and (b) who monitors achievement against it. [60470]

Mr. MacShane

In addition to the performance targets listed in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's public service agreements for 1999 to 2002 and 2001 to 2004, the FCO's service delivery agreement, agreed under the 2000 Spending Review, contains a number of targets for the period 2001 to 2004. Progress against the FCO's SDA targets is monitored by the FCO, using a combination of internally-generated management information, and through a series of scorecard measures agreed with HM Treasury. The FCO's current PSA, SDA, and information on scorecards can be consulted on the FCO website (www.fco.gov.uk). The following public bodes sponsored by the FCO have performance targets:

BBC World Service (including BBC Monitoring) (public corporation) Targets for the BBC World Service are included in the FCO's PSA, scorecards to the FCO's PSA, and in the BBC World Service's annual report on output and performance measures. Targets are set by the FCO in consultation with the World Service. Progress is monitored by the FCO. Targets for BBC Monitoring are set out in scorecards to the FCO's SDA. Additional key performance indicators/targets are set out in BBC Monitoring's corporate plan. These key performance indicators and targets are set by the FCO and other stakeholders in BBC Monitoring (Ministry of Defence, Cabinet Office and BBC World Service) in consultation with BBC Monitoring, and achievement is monitored by the stakeholders.

Britain-Russia Centre (executive non-departmental public body) Performance targets for the Britain-Russia Centre are set out in its corporate plan. The plan is approved by the FCO and the FCO monitors progress against it.

British Association for Central and Eastern Europe (executive non-departmental public body) Performance targets for the British Association for Central and Eastern Europe are set out in its corporate plan. The targets are set by the association, agreed with the FCO3 and monitored jointly by the association and by the FCO.

British Council (executive non-departmental public body) The British Council's annual corporate plan summarises the British Council's key operational and financial targets for the year. Progress against its targets is monitored by the British Council and the FCO.

The Great Britain-China Centre (executive non-departmental public body) The Great Britain-China Centre has annual objectives which are included in its corporate plan. These objectives are set and progress against them monitored by the Great Britain-China Centre board in conjunction with the FCO.

Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission (advisory non-departmental public body) The Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission's corporate plan contains annual performance targets. The plan is approved, and progress against its targets monitored, by the FCO.

Westminster Foundation for Democracy (executive non-departmental public body) The Westminster Foundation for Democracy's performance targets are set through a consultative process between the FCO and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy's executive and board. Progress against targets is formally monitored quarterly by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy's board, which is attended by the FCO.

Wilton Park (executive agency) A target for percentage of respondents who rate Wilton Park's conference programme highly is set out in a scorecard to the FCO's PSA. A number of additional targets for Wilton Park are incorporated into Wilton Park's corporate plan and information on its performance against them is in its annual report. These additional targets are set by the FCO-led Wilton Park departmental board in consultation with Wilton Park, and achievement is monitored by the departmental board annually.

Wilton Park Academic Council (advisory non-departmental public body) The Wilton Park Academic Council's work is monitored by the FCO, which acts as Secretariat to it.