HC Deb 08 September 2003 vol 410 c7WS
The Minister for Crime Reduction, Policing, and Community Safety (Ms Hazel Blears)

I have today laid before Parliament copies of the Forensic Science Service's Annual Report and Accounts for 2002/2003.

Performance against Agency targets 2002/2003 The FSS met seven of its nine targets and put in a strong financial performance.

Financial targets A 23.4 per cent. return on capital employed was produced against a minimum target of 10 per cent. A three-year rolling efficiency gain of 13.8 per cent. was achieved against a target of 10 per cent.

Service Delivery A 74 day turnround time in 90 per cent. standard jobs (violent and volume crime cases) was achieved against a target of 70 days. Dispatch dates in 94 per cent. of urgent, 93 per cent. critical cases and 96 per cent. in persistent young offenders cases were met against targets of 98 per cent., 98 per cent. and 99 per cent. respectively. Dispatch dates in 93 per cent. of all categories of cases were met against a target of 93 per cent. An 11 per cent. increase on baseline in a transactional index of customer perception was achieved against a target of five per cent. Service level agreements were put in place with 98 per cent. of police forces against a target of 92 per cent. Application for 100 per cent. of Reporting Officers for accreditation to the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners, where appropriate, was achieved against a target of 100 per cent. External quality accreditation to ISO standards was maintained.

The main targets for 2003–04, the agency's fifth year of trading fund, are as follows. The targets are set out in full in Annex A.

Finance Target: a minimum of 15 per cent. return on capital employed (three year rolling average) Target: a real reduction in charges by limiting price increases to 75 per cent. of the Average Earnings Index. Target: an increase in investment in development to 12 per cent. of turnover Target: generate £1 million external funding for research and development

Non-Finance Target: 14 day average to inform customers of DNA crime scene stain result. Target: six day average to inform customers of DNA suspect sample result. Target: turnaround time for 95 per cent. of jobs to be 42 days by year end Target: maintain ISO accreditation. Target: maintain Investors in People accreditation. Target: introduce new diversity programme.

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