The UK Debt Management Office (DMO) has published its business plan for the year 2005–06, together with an updated executive agency framework document. Copies of both documents are available in the Libraries of both Houses and are accessible from the DMO's website: www.dmo.gov.uk.

Her Majesty's Government ratified protocol 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms on 28 January 2005.

Protocol 14 is designed to maintain and improve the efficiency of the European Court of Human Rights for the long term, mainly in the light of the continuing increase in the workload of the Court, to ensure that the Court can continue to play its pre-eminent role in protecting human rights in Europe.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, has made the following written ministerial statement in the other place.

"I am pleased to announce that, with the agreement of the Lord Chief Justice, I have invited Sir Nigel Wicks to chair the panel to be appointed under the Constitutional Reform Act to select the members of the Judicial Appointments Commission. Sir Nigel, who has a distinguished record of public service including as a former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, has kindly agreed to do so".

Key targets have been set for the chief executive of DTMA for the financial year 2005–06.

The targets are as follows:

Key Target 1

To achieve at least a "Satisfactory" rating in the provision of planning and delivery of transport and movements support to emerging operations, an increase in the tempo of existing operations or other requirements.

Key Target 2

To achieve at least a "Satisfactory" rating in the planning and delivery of transport and movements support to enduring operations.

Key Target 3

To provide roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessel capability at the readiness states required.

Key Target 4

To meet customers' requirements as negotiated and agreed in customer supplier agreements (CSAs) to deliver:

(1) 98 per cent. (previously 97 per cent.) or more of agency transactions and services, however provided, to be within agreed time, quantity, quality and cost (TQQC) criteria.

(2) At least 94 per cent. (previously 92 per cent.) of transactions against each service to be within agreed TQQC criteria.

Key Target 5

To reduce the average unit cost of output by 1 per cent. (previously 2 per cent.), on the actual unit cost achieved in 2004–05, in real terms.

A new call-out order has been made under section 56 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 so that reservists may continue to be called-out into permanent service to support military operations in the Balkans. The order will take effect from 4 April 2005.

At present, over 80 reservists are serving in the Balkans. They are providing a wide range of individual skills. We are most grateful for their continuing support to an important stabilisation operation.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) New Chapter published in July 2002 stated that we planned to enhance and build upon the capabilities of UK special forces. As part of this programme, the "Special Reconnaissance Regiment" (SRR) will stand up on 6 April 2005. This regiment has been formed to meet a growing worldwide demand for special reconnaissance capability. Consistent with the SDR New Chapter, this regiment will provide improved support to expeditionary operations overseas and form part of the defence contribution to the Government's comprehensive strategy to counter international terrorism. The SRR will bring together personnel from existing capabilities and become the means of the further development of the capability. Due to the specialist nature of the unit, it will come under the command of the director special forces and be a part of the UK special forces group.

Following ministerial approval of the business plan, the following performance targets have been set for Ordnance Survey in 2005–06:

Ordnance Survey will report externally against a set of agency performance monitors (APMs) as required of all executives agencies in Government:

To achieve an operating profit before interest and dividends of £5.8 million for the financial year 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006.

Some 99.6 per cent. of significant real world features are represented in the database within six months of completion.

To continuously improve the timeliness of the supply of our data to customers with a success rate not lower than 95 per cent.

To achieve an efficiency gain in our data collection activity averaging at least 5.5 per cent. per annum over the period April 2003 to March 2006.

To reduce carbon emissions from Ordnance Survey Headquarters by 26 per cent. against the base year of 2000–01.

To achieve an increase of at least 5 per cent. in business with customers transacted through our OS Options and OS Leisure Map shop e-channels.

These targets reflect Ordnance Survey's continuing commitment to customers, improved value for money for all of its stakeholders and commitment to Government policies.

I am pleased to announce the approval of additional DFID funding of up to £23.8 million to the Microbicide Development Programme (MDP). The MDP is co-ordinated by the UK Medical Research Council's clinical trials unit and Imperial College, London. This funding will enable the completion of a phase III clinical trial of one of the leading candidates for a microbicide protecting against HIV infection.

The potential benefits of an effective microbicide are very significant. Research has shown that an effective microbicide could prevent up to 2.5 million infections worldwide over three years. Microbicides, prepared in the form of a gel, provide a potential means for women to protective themselves against infection.

This investment is part of the Government's strategy for tackling HIV and AIDS in the developing world, as set out in "Taking Action" published in July 2004.

In December 2002, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced a review of security vetting arrangements in Northern Ireland, with the aim of ensuring that these were effective; proportionate; compliant with human rights and other statutory requirements; and in line with UK-wide best practice.

The review, which has involved representatives from Government Departments, the police and security agencies, and Government legal services, has now completed its detailed work. I have accepted its recommendations, which have improved security vetting procedures through the following significant changes:

a range of enhancements to protective security in the areas of personnel, physical and IT security;

an increased focus on risks and improved safeguards in vulnerable areas, enabling a major reduction in the number of posts requiring vetting on grounds of national security across government while improving, through better use of resources, the protective security of key areas; and

the introduction, now underway, of internal appeal processes for existing employees against the refusal or withdrawal of national security vetting clearances, to provide better transparency and fairness.

I believe that these are positive steps which will both promote confidence in the equality of opportunity afforded by Government employment, and improve the protections for and integrity of important Government activities and public services.

The Government attach particular importance to addressing all aspects of protective security. Work to drive the changes forward will continue. It is essential that in Northern Ireland, as in the UK as a whole, sound protective security regimes are in place to protect vulnerable and critically important public functions and activities from the whole range of threats, including domestic and international terrorism.

On 3 February 2004 I received a report from the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC). The IMC concluded that the Northern Bank robbery was planned and undertaken by the Provisional IRA. The commission also concluded that PIRA was responsible for a number of other robberies that are referred to in the report.

The commission concluded that Sinn Fein must bear its share of responsibility and recommended that I should consider exercising the powers I have in the absence of the Assembly to implement the measures which are presently applicable, namely the financial ones.

I announced in Parliament on 22 February that I was minded to remove for a period Sinn Fein's entitlement to financial assistance payable to political parties in Northern Ireland. Yesterday, having provided Sinn Fein with an opportunity to make representations to me, I laid in Parliament a direction to remove Sinn Fein's entitlement to financial assistance for 12 months from 29 April 2005, the maximum period permitted under the relevant legislation.

I am pleased to announce that the Northern Ireland discretionary social fund budget for 2005–06 will be £59.59 million. £13.32 million will be allocated to grants; £46.17 million to loans and £0.1 million will be held as a contingency reserve. The new allocations represent an increase of £1.34 million over the initial gross budget set at April 2004. This increase will be funded through higher loan recoveries, plus an increase in net treasury funding of £0.68 million for this year. This £0.68 million is the third and final instalment of the increases to the discretionary social fund announced in the autumn 2002 pre-budget report.

The community care grant budget has been increased by £0.68 million to £13.32 million. This will provide more help to customers, in particular families with children and the disabled.

The loans budget has been increased to £46.17 million, an increase of £0.66 million on the initial 2004–05 loans budget. To improve the fairness of the scheme, budgets will be allocated in a way that will over time achieve greater consistency of outcome for customers wherever they live.

Details of the budget allocations, together with a note explaining the basis on which they have been made, have been placed in the House of Commons Library today.

The Government have received and welcome a report from the chief inspector of criminal justice in Northern Ireland, Kit Chivers. The report is on the Juvenile Justice Centre and has today been published.

Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.

I am pleased to announce the ministerial targets for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for 2005–06.

The Ministerial Targets are:

1. In at least 96 per cent. of incidents, within five minutes of being alerted, take a decision on the appropriate search and rescue response and initiate action if necessary;

Deliver at least 97 per cent. of planned ship inspections;

Carry out 95 per cent. of mandatory expanded ship inspections.

2. Ensure, by working with UK shipowners, that no more than 3 per cent. per cent. of UK ships inspected under the Paris memorandum of understanding (MOU) arrangements are detained, and also ensure that the UK shipping register maintains a position on the Paris MOU white list which is comparable to registers of a similar size and reputation.

3. Reduce the proportion of people who suffer death or injury while involved in beach activities, coastal swimming and recreational diving, by increasing MCA prevention activities, working in partnership with other organisations.

4. From a baseline of 76 per cent., increase customer satisfaction with seafarer documentation services to at least 80 per cent.

5. Establish a fully operational automatic identification system (AIS) network around the UK coast, to implement real-time tracking and monitoring of shipping movements from the shore. This will ensure the UK meets its obligations under the vessel traffic monitoring directive, and will assist monitoring of SOLAS convention traffic in transit through UK coastal waters, providing real time situational awareness to all rescue co-ordination centres within their operational area for the first time. This will enhance capability for SAR co-ordination activity, Marine pollution control co-ordination, monitoring of voluntary (MAREP) reporting schemes and vessels in transit through traffic separation schemes around the UK.

Development Targets:

Prevention—in addition to Target 3 above

6. In 2006–07, reduce the proportion of machinery failures on commercial ships and leisure craft in the UK, by increasing prevention activities, working with other relevant organisations.

In 2007–08 review the implementation, effectiveness and impact of the comprehensive prevention strategy.

On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the BFI inspection report on Gravesham borough council was published today and copies have been placed in the Library.

In 2003–04, Gravesham borough council administered some £21 million in housing benefits, about 41 per cent. of its gross revenue expenditure. Between April 2001 and March 2004 the council raised only two administrative penalties and no formal cautions or prosecutions had been made. Weaknesses in counter-fraud work included a lack of up-to-date policies and procedures, limited awareness of benefit fraud as an issue and ineffective work with Jobcentre Plus and the Pension Service.

However, some progress had been made since the appointment of a benefits manager and a fraud and inspections manager, including the completion of 48 investigations, with three sanctions administered and the recruitment of four staff to carry out reviews of postal claims and home visits from October 2004. There are also plans to recruit two more fraud investigators.

The performance development team is now working with the council to help develop a long-term performance improvement strategy for the counter-fraud unit.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is now considering the report and may ask the council for its proposals in response to the BFPs findings.

On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the BFI inspection report on Hinckley and Bosworth borough council was published today and copies have been placed in the Library.

In 2003–04 Hinckley and Bosworth borough council administered some £10 million in housing benefits, about 35 per cent. of its gross revenue expenditure. BFI's comprehensive performance assessment in April 2004 found weaknesses in the council's counter-fraud activity. The inspection found that since then the situation has improved and the counter-fraud service is now performing to a reasonable standard. It is clear that the council is now committed to improving its counter-fraud service and this was shown by the prompt and positive reaction from members, senior managers and staff to BFI's findings and recommendations.

There is now a comprehensive set of policies and procedures to guide staff and investigators are experienced and generally well trained, although did not fully comply with legislation and guidance in some investigations.

Senior managers and members need to ensure that internal and external auditors support their efforts to ensure that the benefits system is safe and secure.

In September 2004, the council made a successful bid for performance standards funding to provide training and support officer and was keen to explore further funding for other counter-fraud initiatives.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is now considering the report and may ask the council for its proposals in response to the BFI's findings.

On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the BFI inspection report on South Buckinghamshire district council was published today and copies have been placed in the Library.

In 2003–04, South Buckinghamshire district council administered some £9 million in housing benefits, about 38 per cent. of its gross revenue expenditure. BFI found that the council's counter-fraud work and audit arrangements were not at standard.

The council had contracted out counter-fraud work in 1997 but little meaningful counter-fraud work was done under these arrangements. Following a best value review of the revenues and benefits service, direct responsibility for managing counter-fraud was returned to the council on 1 September 2004.

BFI found that existing strategic and policy plans contained too little detail to be fully effective and that some were still in draft. In many cases no fraud file was set up to hold details of the investigation and where a fraud file did exist it contained insufficient information. The management of the council's counter-fraud resources and quality of the investigative work was poor. No fraud sanctions had been applied in over 10 years. The performance development team is now working with the council to develop a long-term strategy to improve counter-fraud work.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is now considering the report and may ask the council for its proposals in response to the BFI's findings.

On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the BFI inspection report on Flintshire county council was published today and copies have been placed in the Library.

In 2003–04, Flintshire county council administered some £26.5 million in housing benefits, about 10 per cent. of its gross revenue expenditure. In the final quarter of 2003–04 the council was taking 89 days on average to process new claims to housing benefits against the Standard of 36 days. This performance placed it in the bottom quartile of performance.

BFI found that the council had bought a new benefits IT system in November 2003 but had some difficulty implementing it and this led to backlogs of work. The council had cleared these by June 2004 but in doing so training and the development of effective management information were neglected. By October 2004 Flintshire county council was processing new claims in 70 days, a useful improvement but still almost twice the standard time. Significant problems remain with the IT system and these must be addressed urgently. While the benefits service is integral to the council's corporate aims, objectives and targets for it were not prioritised, job descriptions did not reflect staff duties and lines of responsibility for benefits staff were not clear.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is now considering the report and may ask the council for its proposals in response to the BFPs findings.