To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the quality of service performance indicators adopted by each of his Department's executive agencies since their establishment; and separately identify those quality of service performance indicators already operative prior to agency status.
The following quality of service performance indicators have been adopted in each of my executive agencies. Unless otherwise specified, they have been adopted since the establishment of the agency.
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre: The key quality of service performance indicators arc customer ratings of service in each functional area. These are measured by means of a detailed questionnaire presentation, catering facilities, overall value for money and the client's willingness to use the Centre again.
Historic Royal Palaces Agency: The key quality of service performance indicators are visitors' ratings for enjoyment, value for money, and helpfulness of staff, which are measured by regular surveys of customer satisfaction. The customer survey programme started in 1988, one year ahead of Agency status.
Building Research Establishment: The current quality of service indicators are fulfilment of customer commissions (monitored by a sample survey); adherence to timescales for delivery of contracted outputs; and adherence to customer budgets.
Ordnance Survey1 : The key quality of service performance indicators are to publish on microfilm within three months, each large scale map meeting the criteria and specification for reproduction, and to despatch within seven working days (including the day the order is received) 90 per cent. of orders for 1:50,000 folded maps. The first indicator was tightened from four to three months after the first year of the Agency's operation.
The Buying Agency: This agency was launched on 31 October 1991. Performance indicators have yet to be agreed, and
are expected to cover comparative prices for key product and service ranges, response and delivery times, and complaints.
1 The Ordnance Survey is a separate Government Department
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the first degree obtained by the chief executive of each of his Department's executive agencies; and from which university or polytechnic it was awarded.
The information is as follows.
| Agency | Subject | University |
| Historic Royal Palaces Agency | Law | London |
| Building Research Establishment | Natural Science Tripos | Cambridge |
| Ordnance Survey1 | Technology | Brunel |
| The Buying Agency | Geography with Geology | Bristol |
| 1 The Ordnance Survey is a separate Government Department for which I have ministerial responsibility. | ||
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff were in post on the date that each of his Department's executive agencies was established; and how many staff are in post now in each case.
The information is as follows:
| Agency | In post at launch | In post on 1 December 1991 |
| Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre | 64·0 | 65 |
| Historic Royal Palaces Agency | 344·0 | 372 |
| Building Research Establishment | 684·5 | 707 |
| Ordnance Survey1 | 2,518·0 | 2,373 |
| The Buying Agency | 115·0 | 115 |
| 1 The Ordnance Survey is a separate Government Department for which I have ministerial responsibility. | ||
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent on events and publicity surrounding the launch of each of his Department's executive agencies; and whether the cost was borne by the parent department or the new agency.
The information is as follows:
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre—since the Centre had already been successfully launched as a commercial organisation for nearly 3 years before it became an Executive Agency there was no special launch.
Historic Royal Palaces Agency—was launched with a press conference and a modest event for staff at each Palace. The Department contributed £366 and the Agency £150.
Building Research Establishment—the Agency bore the total cost of £7,000.
Ordnance Survey1 —the Agency bore the cost from its running cost provision and did not exceed £5,000.
The Buying Agency—the Agency bore the total cost of £25,000.
1 The Ordnance Survey is a separate Government Department for which I am responsible.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the post, grade and maximum salary payable, including performance-related elements, in each case where appointments from the private sector have been made to his Department's executive agencies at grade 7 or above, since their establishment.
The information is as follows:
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre—one appointment at Grade 7 level.
Historic Royal Palaces Agency—apart from the Chief Executive three at Grades 5/6 and two appointments at Grade 7.
Building Research Establishment—five appointments at Grade 7.
Ordnance Survey1 —apart from the Chief Executive, one appointment at Grade 6.
The Buying Agency—none.
The salaries including performance elements of each appointment in each executive agency are appropriate to the relevant civil service grade.
1 The Ordnance Survey is a separate Government Department for which I am responsible.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether a group bonus scheme is in operation in each of his Department's executive agencies.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the last annual report for each of his Department's executive agencies was published; and when the next one is due.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those new facilities for staff nurseries and health care schemes which have been introduced in each of his Department's executive agencies since their establishment.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the new forms of alternative working patterns introduced into each of his Department's executive agencies since their establishment; and provide a breakdown by grade of the number of staff taking up each new working pattern for each new agency.
These are matters for which each chief executive has day-to-day management responsibility. I am therefore asking each chief executive—including that of the Ordnance Survey, which is a separate Government Department for which I have ministerial responsibility—to write to the hon. Member. A copy of their letters will be placed in the Library.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the maximum salary payable to the chief executive of each of his Department's executive agencies, including performance-related element, and the length of time of the chief executive's contract in each case.
The information is as follows:
| Agency | Maximum salary | Length of contract |
| £ | Years | |
| Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre | 55,490 | 25 |
| Historic Royal Palaces Agency | 59,000 | 5 |
| Building Research Establishment | 57,300 | 5 |
| Ordnance Survey1 | 55,700 | 3 |
| The Buying Agency | 56,300 | 3 |
| 1 The Ordnance Survey is a separate Government Department for which I have ministerial responsibility. | ||
| 2 Extended to just over 7 years. | ||