Written Answers Written Answers Tuesday, 30th April 1996. Rwanda: Genocide Investigation Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they agree with Justice Goldstone, who said at a meeting held under the auspices of the US delegation to the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva to discuss "Genocide: Its Prevention and Prosecution" on Wednesday 17th April 1996, that with 24 investigators, the Rwanda tribunal has a hopeless task, and that if it was 124, it would still be inadequate; and if they will therefore call for the number of investigators to be increased to at least 100, the additional cost being funded by a small percentage cut in the salaries of all United Nations staff. The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey) We are sympathetic to the problems that face the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. However, we do not believe that redeploying resources at the expense of staff is likely to be acceptable to the General Assembly, which decides conditions of services in the UN. Israel's Attack On Iraqi Nuclear Installation Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they considered at the time, and still consider, that the Israeli attack on the Iraqi nuclear plant in 1981 was unlawful. Baroness Chalker of Wallasey The United Kingdom voted for UN Security Council Resolution 487, which condemned the Israeli attack on the Iraqi nuclear installation at Osiraq. Israel: Nuclear Activities Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they still have no information about Israeli nuclear weapons. Baroness Chalker of Wallasey We remain concerned about reports that Israel may have a nuclear weapons programme. We continue to urge Israel to allay international suspicions about her nuclear activities by acceding to the Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear-weapon State. Chemical Weapons: Destruction Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:whether the Chemical Weapons Convention envisages the unilateral destruction, by signatories of the convention or by others, of facilities that through their own national technical means they deem may be intended for the production of chemical weapons, and if not, whether they will discuss with the United States its reported threats to "take out" the site ( International Herald Tribune, 20th April 1996). Baroness Chalker of Wallasey The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) requires each State Party to close all chemical weapons production facilities on its territory within 90 days of entry into force, and destroy all such facilities within 10 years.The CWC will enter into force six months after 65 countries ratify. Libya is not a signatory. The convention does not directly address the matter of chemical weapons production facilities in non-States Parties. Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the United States has registered with the appropriate international body its suspicions that the site the Libyan Government claims is part of its Great Man Made River Project (ME/2591 MED/30) is in fact intended as a chemical weapons production facility, and if so, what steps is that body (or any other, until the Chemical Weapons Convention comes into force) proposing to take to establish the truth of the matter. Baroness Chalker of Wallasey We are not aware of action by the United States to involve any international body in the investigation of this site. Agency Performance Targets Lord Windlesham asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the key performance targets for the Court Service. Her Majesty's Land Registry, the Public Record Office and the Public Trust Office executive agencies for 1996–97. The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern) The following tables set out the key performance targets that I have set for the Court Service, Her Majesty's Land Registry, the Public Record Office and Public Trust Office for 1996–97.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Indicator | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Quality of Service: || ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1. Percentage of courts and offices meeting all Charter for Court Users standards| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Supreme Court: || ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2. Percentage of administrative process dealt with within target time | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Crown Court: || ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |3. Percentage of defendants committed for trial waiting 16 weeks or less | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |County courts: || ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |4. Percentage of administrative process dealt with within target time | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |5. Number of warrants paid as a percentage of correctly directed warrants |70%| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |6. Unit cost of a productive courtroom hour (Crown Court) |£522.55| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 7. Unit cost of an hour of administrative work as measured by the Business Management System (county courts)|£49.92| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |8. Percentage of the costs of civil courts recovered |86%| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Fuller details of the agency's targets are given in its business plan, which is available from the Court Service HQ. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Return on average capital employed (ROCE): |3 per cent| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |External financing limit: |£0| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Cost per unit in real terms: |£27.84 (3 per cent, reduction over the 1995–96 target of £28.70)| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Cost per unit in cash terms: |£30.82| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Unit output per post (per day): |3.34 units (4.1 per cent, increase over the 1995–96 target of 3.202 units)| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Percentage of pre–completion applications handled in two working days at every district land registry:|Not less than 98 per cent.| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Average processing time for post-completion applications at every district land registry: |Where no requisitions arise, no more than 15 working days| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Percentage of registrations handled free of error at every district land registry: |Not less than 98.50 per cent.| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Number of computerised titles: |To increase the number of registered titles in computerised format to 14 million| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Number of title plans: |To increase the number of title plans in computerised format to 0.3 million| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Number of account holders using direct computer access at end of year: |400 account holders| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROCE below 6 per cent. reflects agreement with HM Treasury to apply surplus income generated in 1993–94 (when ROCE exceeded 25 per cent. in each year) to fee reductions in 1996–99. The real term unit cost in the base year of 1992–93 was £30.65. Note: Fuller details of the registry's performance targets are given in its business plan, which is available from Her Majesty's Land Registry. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |UNIT COSTS OF KEY ACTIVITIES: || ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |(a) record accessions |Reduce by 3.4 per cent, to £2.99| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |(b) providing record storage space per linear metre |Reduce by 14.6 per cent, to £60.70| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |(c) making documents available to users per document |Reduce by 0.9 per cent, to £5.99| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |(d) providing Census reader services per reader visit |Reduce by 4.86 per cent, to £4.03| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |(e) providing document reader services per reader visit |Limit increase to 7.01 per cent., i.e. to £41.54| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |(f) providing remote user information services per contact |Reduce by 3.79 per cent, to £42.20| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Backlog of records reported by departments as being over 30 years old and awaiting review |Reduce by 1,000 metres| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |The timely destruction of records not worthy of preservation |Departments to have in place key features of records management, as specified in the PRO Manual of Records Administration| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Provision of acceptable storage conditions, i.e. meeting the preservation and environmental standards recommended by BS 5454: 1989 Recommendations for storage and exhibition of archival documents (BSI, 1989)|Increase the proportion of records stored to the standards from 87.75 per cent, to 87.85 per cent.| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Management efficiency in running support services and projects |Reduce the running costs of the Office's support services as a proportion of overall running costs from 11.2 per cent, to 9.8 per cent.| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Citizen's Charter Standards |Achieve all Charter Standard targets1| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Performance in achieving specified milestones towards strategic objectives |(i) complete new Public Record Office project at Kew (ii) review operation of the public records system (iii) increase revenue by 10 per cent.| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Fuller details of the office's targets are given in its business plan, which is available from the Public Record Office. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |1. To carry out accounting transactions within target times|To bring to account at least 98 per cent, of receipts and payments transactions within turnaround targets | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2. To achieve investment targets |(a) to pay annually not less than the rate provided by the average of a model set of comparators for special and basic rate at 75 per cent, of special rate, (b) on an annual basis to ensure that 85 per cent, of all measured funds perform in line or better than their model based on stock market indices| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |(c) on a three year rolling basis to ensure that 80 per cent. of all measured funds perform in line or better than their model based on stock market indices| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |3. To achieve Charter Standards | To achieve 98 per cent. of Charter Standards | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |4. To achieve unit costs in activity areas|To reduce overall unit costs so that the target for 1996/97 will be at least 2.75 per cent. lower than the target for 1995/96 (adjusted for inflation) | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |5. Percentage of full costs recovered |To ensure that 100 per cent. Of full costs are recovered. | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Fuller details of the office's performance targets are given in its business plan, which is available from the Public Trust Office. Transport Strategy For London Viscount Astor asked Her Majesty's Government:When they propose to publish a statement on a transport strategy for London. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Viscount Goschen) Copies of A Transport Strategy for London have today been placed in the Library. Department Of Transport Agency Targets Viscount Astor asked Her Majesty's Government:What targets have been set for the executive agencies in the Department of Transport. Viscount Goschen The following key targets have been set for the Department of Transport's executive agencies. The targets are set out in the agencies' business plans, which also include management objectives, performance indicators and key tasks, where appropriate to the agencies' businesses. Copies of the business plans are placed in the Library.The key targets for the Coastguard Agency are to:I. discharge the Secretary of State's responsibility for maritime search and rescue, through its own or dedicated assets by: (a) maintaining a 24 hours SAR co-ordinating capability within, and including the coasts and shoreline of, the UKSRR;(b) maintaining a comprehensive radio reception and transmission coverage of the UKSRR which enables SAR co-ordination action for the duration of incidents without interruption or equipment malfunction.(c) testing contingency plans for major maritime SAR incidents, particularly those involving passenger carrying vessels/merchant shipping and the offshore oil/gas industry by undertaking six major live exercises and 35 seminars; II. consider how the upward trend in SAR incidents might be arrested and reversed and to report to the department by December 1996, meanwhile implementing a strategy designed to promote sea and shore safety awareness. III. implement ministerial decisions following the interdepartmental review on SAR helicopter coverage; IV. maintain a fully operational 24 hours Channel Navigation Information Service (CNIS) covering the Dover Strait Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), in concert with the appropriate French authorities; V. discharge the Secretary of State's responsibility for dealing with marine pollution by the maintenance of a national contingency plan and in particular; (a) activate the plan within 30 minutes of notification of an incident; and(b) commence action at sea to deal with a spill of dispersible oil within four hours of notification of an incident;(c) testing the effectiveness of the plan by undertaking a major exercise and to report on the outcome by 31st March 1997; VI. carry out a minimum of 625 hours a year aerial surveillance of the sea area for which, the UK has responsibility to detect or deter incidents of marine pollution, including illegal discharges from ships; VII. discharge the agency's functions while remaining within its 1996–97 running costs budget; VIII. implement Phase 1 of the proposed reorganisation of the HMCG operational structure "Focus For Change" by 31st March 1997. The Key targets for the Driving Standards Agency are to: I. achieve unit costs not exceeding £28.30 for car practical tests, and not exceeding £15.00 for theory tests;II. achieve a national average waiting time for car tests of nine weeks between April and September 1996 and six weeks between October 1996 and March 1997, and for appointments to be available within 10 weeks at 90 per cent. of permanent test centres between April and September 1996 and 99 per cent. of centres between October 1996 and March 1997;III. ensure that appointments cancelled by DSA less than two days before the date of a test average 1 per cent. between April and September 1996, and average no more than 0.5 per cent. of appointments between October 1996 and March 1997;IV. answer 90 per cent. of telephone calls to booking offices within 60 seconds between April and September 1996. From October 1996 to March 1997 the target will be to ensure that:(a) four out of five calls will be answered on their first dialling attempt,(b) 90 per cent. of calls which have been answered by an automatic system will then be answered by a human voice within 30 seconds, and(c) an average of no more than 5 per cent. of calls in the queue will be abandoned before being answered.V. ensure that the theory test contractor has created the required density of test venues and frequency of test sessions in line with the services specification by 1 July 1996, and that theory tests are available to the public from that date. The key targets for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency are to: I. make an efficiency gain (on the basis of an overall efficiency index) of 2.4 per cent.;II. complete successfully 495,000 vehicle excise duty enforcement cases by imposition of penalties and to recover, through penalties and duty from licensing, at least £2.80 for every £1.00 full cost spent by DVLA on vehicle excise duty enforcement;III. deliver 95 per cent. of ordinary driving licences to customers within 11 working days, 95 per cent. of vocational driving licences within 10 working days, and 95 per cent. of first provisional driving licences within nine working days;IV. deliver 95 per cent. of registration documents for new vehicles within 12 days, and 95 per cent. of changes to vehicle registration documents within 13 days;V. deliver answers to 95 per cent. of written enquiries within eight working days, and answer 90 per cent. of telephone enquiries within 30 seconds;VI. ensure that at least 97 per cent. of driving licences, 98 per cent. of registration documents for new vehicles, and 96 per cent. of changes to registration documents, are issued without a DVLA induced error. The key targets for the Highways Agency are to: I. achieve 80 per cent. of the national schemes milestones and DBFO tender invitations and contract awards listed in Annex D to the Business Plan, or such other milestones as may be substituted or added by Ministers;II. maintain the trunk road network cost effectively by undertaking a programme of capital maintenance aimed at ensuring that the percentage of the trunk road network past the critical condition remains at 7–8 per cent. by the year 2000, with the minimum disruption to traffic, and ensuring that roads are safe, reliable, and offer an acceptable quality of ride; and to ensure that from 1 January 1999 all vehicles up to and including the new 40 tonne maximum gross vehicle weight standard can use all structures supporting trunk roads and other important routes over trunk roads by completing in 1996–97;(a) the renewal of 50 nearside lane kilometres (niks) of motorway and 80 nlks of all purpose trunk road; and assessments of the structural capacity of 670 structures and completing the strengthening of 17 structures (NMMD); III. contribute to the Government's target of reducing road casualties by one third by the year 2000 (compared with the annual average for 1981–85) by limiting accident rates between 1996 and 1998 on the motorways and all-purpose trunk road network to 21 accidents involving personal injury for every 100 million vehicle kilometres of travel; IV. develop and agree with the Central Transport Group, systems for monitoring congestion on motorways and high standard all-purpose trunk roads by 31st December 1996; V. publish, as part of the agency's annual report, a report covering: (a) environmental aspects of new schemes, and network management and maintenance activities, demonstrating that the Agency has given full weight to environmental issues in carrying out its function and has struck a balance according;(b) the agency's contribution to the follow up to Transport: the Way Ahead and,(c) the measures taken by the agency to contribute to the implementation of the Government's air quality strategy; VI. improve the effectiveness of the agency by: (a) developing an aggregate unit cost indicator (formula) embracing the full range of the agency's outputs, but with inputs limited initially to administration and preparation and supervision costs;(b) determining and agreeing with the Central Transport Group by 30th September 1996, the values of that indicator for 1995–96 (to be based on 1995–96 outturn) and for 1996–97 (to be based on 1996–97 Business Plan budgets and targets); and(c) to perform, in outturn, no worse than the agreed ratio; VII. Applications to the National Roads Scheme Committee (NRSC) in 1996–97, to increase the cost of schemes are not to exceed 2 per cent. of the total programme value. The key targets for the Marine Safety Agency are to: I. implement the International Safety Management Code for ro-ro ferries by 1st July 1996;II. report to Shipping Policy by 31st October 1996 with proposals to implement, for ro-ro passenger ships operating to and from UK ports, the relevant amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention and the regional agreement on the application of higher stability standards;III. complete all necessary work by 31st March 1997 to implement the under 12 metre fishing vessel safety code;IV. agree with Shipping Policy, by 31st May 1996, a programme of implementation for the Government's initiative on reducing illegal discharge of wastes from ships and review the waste reception facility provision for marine pollutants from ships in UK ports by 31st December 1996;V. make arrangements for the implementation of the revised Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Convention by 1st February 1997 taking account of deregulation and the introduction of Vocational Qualifications;VI. complete the work on consolidation of existing secondary legislation resulting from the MSA deregulation review by 30th September 1996;VII. inspect between 25 and 30 per cent. of foreign flagged vessels using UK ports, including ro-ro ferries and fish factory ships;VIII. achieve an average output of survey and inspection work per Marine Office surveyor of 3 per cent. greater than the outturn for 1995–96, while delivering the planned programme of surveys and inspections;IX. discharge the Agency's functions while remaining within its 1996–97 running costs budget. The key targets for the Vehicle Inspectorate are to: I. meet the requirements on level and types of activity laid down in the Memorandum of Agreement on each scheme;II. distribute its resources between each activity so as to achieve at least the minimum number of road safety/environment values laid down for the roadworthiness and MOT schemes and to increase the number of HGV designated premises;III. meet the quality and general effectiveness levels as specified in the Business Plan measures set for 1996–97.IV. Implement a system of annual surveys and/or structured interviews to be carried out with all principal customers and evaluated to determine score as the basis of measuring future improvement in performance;V. achieve an Aggregated Cost Efficiency (ACE) index outturn of +3 per cent.;VI. break even while achieving an average 6 per cent. real rate of return on capital over the period 1st April 1991–31st March 1998;VII. secure the long-term development of the organisation through working for the Investors In People Award, achieving 70 per cent. of the assessment indicators set out in the standards of the Investors in People Award and through implementing the three elements of the IS strategy defined in the Business Plan measures for 1996–97. The key targets for the Vehicle Certification Agency are to: I. achieve a net unit cost target of £78.86;II. issue at least 98 per cent. of approval certificates error free;III. issue at least 97 per cent. of invoices error free;IV. issue corrected documents where errors do occur within three working days in 95 per cent. of cases involving certificates and in 90 per cent. of cases involving invoices;V. audit at least 75 per cent. of the agency's approved quality procedures;VI. receive a satisfactory appraisal report from the department's Chief Mechanical Engineer. Road Measurement Units Lord Belhaven and Stenton asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they plan to substitute kilometres for miles on road signposts and, if not, why imperial road measurements of length are not taught in schools. Viscount Goschen We have no plans to change to metric distances in the UK. The mathematics National Curriculum requires pupils by the age of 11 to understand imperial units still in daily use and their approximate metric equivalents. Rail Franchising Director Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:What procedures will be used to recruit the successor to Roger Salmon as Rail Franchising Director; and what duration of contract of employment they will offer the successful candidate. Viscount Goshen The Department of Transport has appointed Saxton Bampfylde International plc to advise it on the recruitment of a successor to Mr. Salmon. The post of Franchising Director will be advertised in due course. The precise terms of the appointment, including the duration of the contract, are matters for negotiation with the candidates. Dearing Report: Terms Of Reference Lord Pilkington of Oxenford asked Her Majesty's Government:Why, in commissioning Sir Ron Dearing's report on education for 16 to 19 year-olds, they failed to ask him to consider the Continental practice of having separate institutions and distinct examinations for academic and vocational courses, and advise whether this pattern might be applicable to England and Wales. The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Lord Henley) Sir Ron Dearing was given a broad remit in order to allow him to carry out his review as he saw fit. During his review Sir Ron did in fact consider education and training structures in several OECD countries. The results were published in July 1995 in his interim report. Copies are available in the House of Lords Library.Sir Ron's final report was published on 27th March 1996. It made clear that it is widely considered to be a strength of the qualifications framework in this country that it "makes it possible to combine elements from more than one qualifications pathway". Sir Ron's proposals, which have been welcomed by the Government, would strengthen that aspect of the framework further. Comfrey Lord McNair asked Her Majesty's Government:Why, in view of the fact that comfrey tablets and capsules undergo no concentrating process but are simply the plant's dried root and leaf, mixed with inert excipients, they have ordered the withdrawal of these products from sale instead of treating them as whole foods whose ingredients should not be assessed in isolation. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege) The data considered by the Government's independent expert advisory committee, the Committee on Toxicity of Food, Consumer Products and the Environment, indicated that the toxic substances known as pyrrolizidine alkaloids were found in high concentrations in tablets and capsules made from comfrey. The whole food approach was not therefore considered appropriate. Services For Drug Misusers: Task Force Review Viscount Montgomery of Alamein asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the report of the Task Force to Review Services for Drug Misusers. Baroness Cumberlege The report of the task force, which was chaired by the Reverend Dr. John Polkinghorne, President of Queen's College Cambridge, will be published tomorrow. Copies will be placed in the Library. Social Security Costs Baroness Castle of Blackburn asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, following their statement to the House on 29th November 1995, (H.L. Deb, col. 593), that social security is costing the average working person £15 every working day, they will provide information on how that figure is composed; what services and types of pensions and benefits are included in the term "social security"; what is the wage of the "average working person" and how many days per week are included in the term "every working day". The Minister of State, Department of Social Security (Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish) The information is set out in the table.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Grand total of Social Security spending 1995–961 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Working population (workforce in employment)2 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Working days per year | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Calculation for the equivalent cost of Social Security per working person per working day is: (rounded to the nearest £1)| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |The average weekly wage of working female adults in 1995–963 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |The average weekly wage of working male adults in 1995–963 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sources 1 Departmental Report March 1996 (Table 3)—Grand total of social security spending is made up of; total Department of Social Security expenditure, plus rent rebates in England and Wales financed within housing revenue account and the difference between specific grants paid by the Department of Social Security and total local authority spend on housing benefit and council tax benefit and administration of these benefits, including benefit and administration expenditure financed by the local authorities. 2 Employment GazetteJuly 95 (Workforce in Employment). 3 Inland Revenue. Passport Agency The Earl of Balfour asked Her Majesty's Government:How the United Kingdom Passport Agency performed against its targets in 1995–96, and what performance targets they have set for the agency in 1996–97. The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch) We are pleased to say that the United Kingdom Passport Agency achieved all its targets in 1995–96. The targets for processing properly completed straightforward applications were met despite a 20 per cent. increase in demand for passport services with an average turnaround time for the whole year of 6.1 working days, well within the average target of 7 working days. The Passport Agency's financial target was to reduce its unit cost by 5 per cent. in real terms. The latest indications are that the Agency has achieved a 7.25 per cent. real terms reduction in its cost. Another notable achievement was the re-award of the Chartermark in December 1995.During 1996–97, we shall expect the Passport Agency to continue to improve its standard of service to the public, while seeking further efficiency savings in its operations. Immigration And Nationality Directorate: Complaints Report Lord Dean of Harptree asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received the annual report for 1995 of the Complaints Audit Committee of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. Baroness Blatch A copy of the report has been placed in the Library. It is a wide-ranging, informative and encouraging document and we are grateful to the committee for its comments and recommendations. These are already receiving careful consideration. Bse Cases Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give by county the number of cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in the United Kingdom that were notified each month since such records were started. Lord Lucas Attached are tables showing the total number of confirmed BSE cases in the United Kingdom since November 1986, as at 12th April 1996.To provide the information in the way requested could only be done at disproportionate cost.------------------------ |Region/County | ------------------------ |Northern || ------------------------ |Cleveland | ------------------------ |Cumbria | ------------------------ |Durham | ------------------------ |Humberside | ------------------------ |Northumberland | ------------------------ |Tyne and Wear | ------------------------ |Yorkshire North | ------------------------ |Yorkshire South | ------------------------ |Yorkshire West | ------------------------ |Total | ------------------------ |Midlands and Western || ------------------------ |Cheshire | ------------------------ |Derbyshire | ------------------------ |Hereford and Worcester| ------------------------ |Lancashire | ------------------------ |Leicestershire | ------------------------ |Manchester | ------------------------ |Merseyside | ------------------------ |Nottinghamshire | ------------------------ |Shropshire | ------------------------ |Staffordshire | ------------------------ ------------------ |West Midlands | ------------------ |Warwickshire | ------------------ |Total | ------------------ | | ------------------ |Bedfordshire | ------------------ |Cambridgeshire | ------------------ |Essex | ------------------ |Hertfordshire | ------------------ |Lincolnshire | ------------------ |Norfolk | ------------------ |Northamptonshire| ------------------ |Suffolk | ------------------ |Total | ------------------ | | ------------------ |Avon | ------------------ |Cornwall | ------------------ |Devon | ------------------ |Dorset | ------------------ |Gloucestershire | ------------------ |Scilly Isles | ------------------ |Somerset | ------------------ |Wiltshire | ------------------ |Total | ------------------ | | ------------------ |Berkshire | ------------------ |Buckinghamshire | ------------------ |Hampshire | ------------------ |Isle of Wight | ------------------ |Kent | ------------------ |London | ------------------ |Oxfordshire | ------------------ |Surrey | ------------------ |Sussex East | ------------------ |Sussex West | ------------------ |Total | ------------------ | | ------------------ |Clwyd | ------------------ |Dyfed | ------------------ |Glamorgan Mid | ------------------ |Glamorgan South | ------------------ |Glamorgan West | ------------------ |Gwent | ------------------ |Gwynedd | ------------------ |Powys | ------------------ |Total | ------------------ | | ------------------ |Borders | ------------------ |Central | ------------------ |Dumfries | ------------------ |Lothian | ------------------ |Strathclyde | ------------------ |Fife | ------------------ |Grampian | ------------------ |Highland | ------------------ |Orkney | ------------------ --------------------------------- |Shetland | --------------------------------- |Tayside | --------------------------------- |Western Isles | --------------------------------- |Scottish Total | --------------------------------- |Overall total for Great Britain| --------------------------------- Note: Cases confirmed in a particular month will have a date of clinical onset of disease and date of report prior to that month. In addition, in counties where incidence is low, the number of confirmed cases may show a reduction when purchased cases are reallocated to other premises in a different county. ------------- |Antrim | ------------- |Armagh | ------------- |Down | ------------- |Fermanagh | ------------- |Londonderry| ------------- |Tyrone | -------------