HC Deb 13 May 2004 vol 421 cc27-8WS
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. David Lammy)

My hon. Friend, Lord Filkin, has today set the following key performance indicators and targets for the Public Guardianship Office (PGO) Executive Agency for 2004–05.

KPI 1: To increase the satisfaction of its customers in the delivery of its services.

Target: To achieve an overall customer satisfaction rating, covering professional and lay receivers, of at least 75 per cent. as measured by its annual customer survey.

KPI 2: To increase the proportion of effective visits by the Lord Chancellor's visitors.

Targets:

To maintain a minimum of 6,000 visits per year to include all receivership division clients. To achieve 80 per cent. effective visits over the year. During 2004–05, to develop and implement a system to measure customer satisfaction in the visitor's service.

KPI 3: To maintain an effective system to collect and review accounts, and use this process to review the case management regime to ensure that it is meeting the needs of each customer and client.

Targets: To collect 60 per cent. of accounts within two calendar months of the accounting end date, 85 per cent. within four calendar months of the accounting end date, and 100 per cent. within six calendar months of the accounting end date, referring cases to the Court of Protection where necessary or taking other steps to ensure proper accounts are produced on behalf of clients (applies to protection clients only i.e. those clients who have an external receiver). To complete the review of, or to have requested further information for, 100 per cent. of accounts within 20 working days of receipt (to apply to both receivership and protection clients).

KPI 4: To deliver an improved service to clients.

Targets:

Correspondence

To respond to 20 per cent. of correspondence within five working days of receipt; 50 per cent. of correspondence within 10 working days of receipt; and 98 per cent. of correspondence within 15 working days of receipt.

Release of funds Where access to a client's capital is requested, the PGO will give directions to the court funds office (CFO), or dispatch directions to an external receiver within five working days in 80 per cent. of cases and within 10 working days in 95 per cent. of cases; or explain why it cannot release funds.

Applications for receivership Providing it has all the appropriate forms and information required in support of an application, PGO will list a case for hearing and notify the applicant within 10 working days in 95 per cent. of cases. The hearing date will be within 35 working days of the date the hearing was listed in 95 per cent. of cases. After the hearing, PGO will notify applicants of the outcome of the hearing and request any further information the court requires within five working days in 95 per cent. of cases. PGO will issue orders within 10 working days in 95 per cent. of cases where all information and documents have been received.

Closing cases Where a client dies and PGO has a complete application for final directions, it will prepare and dispatch directions to transfer assets to personal representatives within 15 working days in 30 per cent. of cases, within 20 working days in 80 per cent. of cases, and within 25 working days in 100 per cent. of cases.

Enduring powers of attorney To register and return 98 per cent. of correctly lodged EPAs, where there are no objections, within five working days of the end of the statutory waiting period.

Accuracy of order To reduce the level of orders returned with errors to 3 per cent.

KPI 5: To demonstrate improvements in efficiency by meeting a unit cost target.

Targets: To meet a unit cost target of not more than £510 per case.