To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the (a) target and (b) performance data percentage for each of the services provided by (i) the regional service centre in Exeter and (ii) the Truro office of the regional service centre in each year since 1992. [9658]
Performance targets were introduced for some schemes in 1993–94 in "Commitment to Service" as part of the citizens charter arrangements. Further schemes were covered subsequently. Information on the main common agricultural policy and other schemes in the south-west region is as follows:
Performance data for South-west RSC
| |||||
(all figures shown as percentage)
| |||||
Scheme
| Target
| 1993–94
| 1994–95
| 1995–96
| 1996–97
|
Administered from Exeter
| |||||
| Arable Area Payments Scheme | Advanced oilseed payments made by end September | — | 100 | n/a | 100 |
Final oilseed payments made within 60 days of publication of rate by EU | — | 100 | n/a | 100 | |
Main payments made between 16 October and 31 December | — | 100 | 73 | 99 | |
| Five-year Set-aside Scheme | Claims received by 30 September paid by 15 December | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances | Claims paid within three months of receipt | 96 | 83 | 74 | 95 |
| Sheep Annual Premium Scheme | Final payment made by the end of the April following scheme year (or if rate not fixed until after 1 April, within one month of public announcement of rate) | 86 | 94 | 99 | 96 |
| Suckler Cow Premium Scheme | Advanced payments to be made within three months of scheme closing date; balance to be paid by 30 June | — | 99 | 99 | 99 |
| Beef Special Premium Scheme | Advanced payments made by 15 December if retention period completed by 1 November, otherwise within six weeks of end of retention period | — | 98 | 97 | 98 |
Balance payments made by 30 June in year following claim | — | — | 99 | 100 | |
Applications processed and CIDs issued within 10 working days of receipt | — | 99 | 98 | 99 | |
Premium claimed CIDs returned before end of retention period | — | 99 | 99 | 99 | |
| Farm Woodland Premium Scheme | Applications accepted or rejected within 1 month of receipt | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Claims received by 1 August paid between 17 October; those received after 1 August paid within three months of receipt | 100 | 10 | 100 | 100 | |
| Environmentally Sensitive Areas—Dartmoor and Blackdown Hills3 | Applications: in first year agreement or rejection of application six months after end of application period; for existing claims, within four months | — | 99 | 100 | 100 |
Claims: received by 1 October paid by 30 November except Stage IV claims (Blackdown Hills) received by 1 March paid by 30 April | — | 54 | 95 | 100 | |
Conservation Plan applications: accepted or rejected within three months of receipt or completion of Management Agreement (whichever is later) | — | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
Conservation Plan claims: paid within two months of receipt | — | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
Administered from Truro4
| |||||
| Agricultural Improvement Scheme | Claims paid within three months of receipt | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Farm and Conservation Grants Scheme (Capital Grants)1991 | Applications accepted or rejected within four months of receipt | 295 | 98 | 100 | — |
Claims paid within three months of receipt | 298 | 99 | 100 | 100 | |
| Farm and Conservation Grants Scheme (Capital Grants) 1989 | Plan Claims paid within three months of receipt | 2— | 100 | 69 | 100 |
Non-plan claims paid within three months of receipt | 2— | 99 | 100 | 43 | |
| Environmentally Sensitive Areas—West Penwith | Applications: in first year agreement or rejection of application 6 months after end of application period; for existing claims, within four months | 100 | 100 | 100 | 66 |
Claims: received by 1 October paid by 30 November except Stage IV claims (Blackdown Hills) received by 1 March paid by 30 April | 100 | 100 | 100 | 99 | |
Conservation Plan applications: accepted or rejected within three months of receipt or completion of Management Agreement (whichever is later) | — | 100 | 100 | 90 | |
Conservation Plan claims: paid within two months of receipt | — | 100 | 100 | 66 | |
1 Due to a combination of changes in FEOGA reimbursement dates and the difficulties of linkage with charter targets and payment dates, a large proportion of payments were made after target date for 1994–95. | |||||
2 Data for 1989 and 1991 schemes aggregated. | |||||
3 Not designated until 1994. | |||||
4 Performance in respect of countryside stewardship scheme and objective 5(b) is not covered by the citizens charter. n/a not available. | |||||
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the estimated redundancy costs of closing the Truro office of the regional service centre. [9660]
It is too early to say what redundancy costs there might be. We are closing the office over a period of six months or so to find alternative employment for as many of the staff as possible and have appointed a resettlement officer to assist with that objective.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff were employed in the regional service centre in Exeter on (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) temporary contracts in each year since 1992. [9662]
The table shows the number of staff in post at Exeter as at 1 April each year from 1992. This includes field inspectors out-stationed from Exeter, including at Truro, but who form part of the Exeter RSC. Data on part-time staff are compiled on a head count basis.
| Stuffing figures for the Exeter RSC, April 1992 to April 1997 | |||||
| Permanent | Temporary | ||||
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time | Part-time | Total | |
| Figures as at: | |||||
| 1 April 1992 | 60 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 84 |
| 1 April 1993 | 105 | 13 | 24 | 3 | 145 |
| 1 April 1994 | 104 | 10 | 72 | 2 | 188 |
| 1 April 1995 | 137 | 10 | 44 | 1 | 192 |
| 1 April 1996 | 154 | 17 | 10 | 0 | 181 |
| 1 April 1997 | 204 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 229 |
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of representations received by his Department (a) supporting and (b) opposing his decision to close the Truro office of the regional service centre. [9657]
We have received a petition and a number of letters from organisations and individuals, all opposing the decision to close the Truro office.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff were employed on less than (a) £2.50 per hour, (b) £3 per hour, (c) £3.50 per hour, (d) £4 per hour and (e) £4.50 per hour in the regional service centre in Exeter in each year since 1992. [9659]
This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff were made redundant from the regional service centre in Exeter in each year since 1992. [9661]
None.