I have set the Rural Payments Agency the following performance targets for 2006-2007.
Customers
Provide decisions by 15 January 2007 on at least 95 per cent. of representations relating to the 2005 scheme received by 30 September 2006 from claimants with claim value greater than €1000, assuming a volume no greater than 5 per cent.
To have paid 96.14 per cent. by value of valid 2006 scheme claims by 30 June 2007.
Process and pay at least 85 per cent. of valid claims, by volume, under Pillar 1 schemes other than the scheme within ministerial guidelines and 99 per cent. within the set EU Commission deadlines or, in their absence, 60 days of the claim.
Process and pay valid claims with a higher level of accuracy than that achieved for the 2005 scheme1.
Record 98 per cent. of valid and complete notifications of births, deaths and movements of cattle on the Cattle Tracing System within 14 days of their receipt.
Measure customer satisfaction on a rolling quarterly basis and act on the findings.
Finance
Operate within the financial resources made available by Defra (adjusted as appropriate during the year).
Ensure that the risk of disallowance is appropriately factored into all relevant operational decisions. Any decisions taking the cumulative risk above 2 per cent. of the value of CAP payments made by the Agency and within the controlof the Agency to be escalated to the appropriate Defra-led body.
Business processes
Issue the 2007 scheme claim forms, pre-populated in at least 80 per cent. of cases, to all known potential claimants by 15 April 2007.
Complete the agreed inspection programme for CAP schemes in accordance with EU regulatory requirements, taking into account any approved derogations.
Demonstrate effective joint working with Defra and the Defra family across all relevant interfaces, as measured by feedback from key partners.
People
Put in place suitable arrangements to train and develop the Agency staff in order to maximize efficiency and deliver results.
1 This value is not available at the time of publication. It will be assessed independently.