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08 J' 1993
FA
30/6 I thought
Mr Man's
M. Bank 3016
M
1 While 346
o
Ms B-J
REGIST
From:
PS/Mr Goodlad
Date:
29 June 1993
so, vindicated
CC:
Miss Scrumoured Good for Greg.
3076
Well done! Lets keep His up!
Private Secretary
Досм
Kebell
PS/Ministers
PS/PUS
Sir J Coles
Chief Clerk
Mr Hum
Mr Masefield
Mr Muir
Mrs Sutherland
Mr Ling Heads of
Departments supervised by Mr Goodlad
MPS' CORRESPONDENCE: LEAGUE TABLE OF FCO DEPARTMENTS PERFORMANCE IN MEETING DEADLINES FOR REPLY
1. Although I agree that it is useful that the league table on departments' performance in meeting deadlines for replies to MPS' letters has been launched (your circular of 24 June), there are clearly some teething troubles. As I believe this office advised Mr Lennox-Boyd's Office (who compiled the statistics) before your letter issued, the May figures relating to Mr Goodlad's departments seemed to bear little relation to the reality. Our subsequent research shows that the position is not as bad as that painted in your letter.
2. One of the difficulties with the new computerised tracking system (CTS) is that it only gives accurate statistics when all key categories of information have been input. It is not sufficient, for example, to enter the dates when MPs' correspondence is received in private offices and when the replies issue. It is also necessary to input the date when departments' draft replies are received in the private office. Because of certain technical problems in introducing CTS here, corresponding with a changeover in staff, entry of this latter information was incomplete for May. We have now input the data retrospectively for all letters issued through this office. The revised results are attached. You will see that in several cases they are significantly better than the figures attached to your letter. Indeed the overall success rate of 84.66% letters answered within the 10 day target response time is close to the rate we achieved for 1992.