Service First: Revised Service Standards for Central Government Departments and Agencies

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Revised Service Standards for Central Government Departments and Agencies

The Modernising Government White Paper announced that new standards for central government departments and agencies would come into effect on 1 October 1999. The targets introduced by the main departments and agencies are set out below.

	Target for Responding to Correspondence (including faxes and E-mails) from members of the public;
	Maximum length of time a person without an appointment time should have to wait before they are seen in a public office;
	Target for answering calls to designated telephone enquiry points; and
	E-mail enquiry points for central government departments and agencies.

Target for Responding to Correspondence (including faxes and E-mails) from members of the public

Department/Agency	Target 99/2000 (working days)
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	15
Cabinet Office	15
Crown Prosecution Service	10
Department for Culture, Media and Sport	18
HM Customs and Excise	10
Ministry of Defence	20
Department of Education and Employment	15
- Employment Service	10
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions - Driving Standards Agency - DVLA - Highways Agency - Maritime Coastguard Agency - Vehicle Inspectorate	15 15 15 15 15 15
Foreign and Commonwealth Office	20
Government Offices for the Regions	Max 15
Department of Health - NHS Pensions Agency	20 20
Home Office	20
- UK Passport Agency	10
- Prison Service	20
Inland Revenue	20
- Contributions Agency	20
- Valuation Office	15
Department for International Development	15
Intervention Board	10
Lord Chancellor’s Department - Court Service - Court Service HQ - Land Registry - Northern Ireland Court Service - Public Record Office - Public Trust Office	20 10 20 3 20 10 20
Department of Social Security - Benefits Agency	20 10
- Child Support Agency	10
- War Pensions Agency	10
Department of Trade and Industry - Agencies (1)	15 10
HM Treasury	15

Notes

(1) Covers four of the DTI’s agencies (Companies House, Insolvency Service, Patent Office and Radiocommunications Agency)

Maximum length of time a person without an appointment time should have to wait before they are seen in a public office;

DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY	TARGET (in minutes)
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food – Regional Services Centre	10-30 min (1)
- Farming & Rural Conservation Agency	10 min
- Pesticide Safety Directorate	10 min
Customs and Excise	15 min
Ministry of Defence	10 min (2)
Department for Education and Skills	10min
- Employment Service Jobcentres	10 min
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions	10 min (3)
Foreign and Commonwealth Office	5 min
Department of Health headquarters	10 min
Home Office (Queen Anne’s Gate)	10 min
- Fire Service College	10 min
- Prison Service	10 min
- UK Passport Agency	10 min
Inland Revenue	15 min
Lord Chancellor’s Department	10 min
- Court Service	10 min
- Land Registry	10 min
- Public Record Office	10 min
Office of National Statistics	10 min (4)
Department of Social Security headquarters	N/A
- Benefits Agency	10-30 min (5)
- War Pensions Agency	10 min
Department of Trade and Industry	10 min
- Companies House	5 min
- Employment Tribunals Service	10 min
- Insolvency Service	10 min
- National Weights and Measures Laboratory	10 min
- Patent Office	10 min
- Radiocommunications Agency	10 min
- Redundancy Payments Service	10 min
Government Offices in the Regions	10 min

Notes:

30 min at busy times,
Target applies to all military and civilian recruitment offices/centres and to the Defence Housing Executive.
Awaiting Board approval
Excludes the Family Record Centre.
30 min at busy times. Where callers require an interpreter, BA aims to provide one within one working day.

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Target for Answering Calls to Designated Telephone Enquiry Points

DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY	HELPLINE NUMBER	TARGET
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	0645 335 577	3 rings
Central Science Laboratory	01904 462 272	8 rings
Fish Health Inspectorate	01305 206 673/4	5 rings
Arable Crops (and set aside)	020 7 270 8748	7 rings
Plant Variety Rights	01223 342 350	6 seconds
Seed Certification	01223 343 373	6 seconds
Plant, Pest and Disease Eradication	01904 455 178	10 rings
Import/Export Enquiries	01904 455 188	10 rings
Plant Health Issues	01904 455 174	10 rings
Pet Travel Scheme	020 8 330 6835	15 seconds
Cattle Movement Helpline	0845 0501234	5 rings
Pesticide Helpline	01904 455775	6 rings
Consumer Helpline – Food Issues	0345 573012	15 seconds
Department of Culture Media and Sport	020 7 211 6032	4 rings (1)
Crown Prosecution Service	020 7 796 8500	3 rings
Customs and Excise
VAT Advice Centres	For advice on VAT - telephone your nearest VAT Business Advice Centre	20 seconds
Air Passenger Duty Advice line	0189 584 2226	20 seconds
Tariff Classification Helpline	01702 366077	20 seconds
Ministry of Defence	020 7 218 6645	18 rings/60 seconds (2)
Department for Education and Skills	020 7 925 5555	20 seconds
Employment Service Direct (advice on Job vacancies)	0845 6060234	20 seconds
Job Centres	refer to phone book	20 seconds
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions headquarters	020 7 890 3000	30 seconds (3)
Foreign and Commonwealth Office	020 7 270 1500	10 rings
Department of Health	020 7210 4850	10 rings
Home Office	020 7 273 4000
Fire Service College	01608 650831	15 seconds
Passport Agency	0990 210410
Inland Revenue
Self Assessment – help with tax returns	0645 000444	15 seconds
Self Assessment orderline for extra leaflets and forms	0645 000404	15 seconds
Employers – advice on PAYE and National Insurance	0345 143143	20 seconds
Lord Chancellor’s Department	020 7 210 8500	30 seconds
Court Service – Customer Service Unit	020 7 210 2266/9	30 seconds
County/Crown Courts	Refer to Court Service web site for local offices County Courts Crown Courts	30 seconds
Land Registry	Headquarters - 020 7 917 8888 Refer to Land Registry web site for local offices	30 seconds
Northern Ireland Court Service	028 90328594	30 seconds
Public Trust Office	020 7664 7300	30 seconds
Public Record Office	020 8 876 3444	30 seconds
Office of National Statistics	01329 842511	15 seconds
Department of Social Security Headquarters	020 7712 2171	8 rings / 15 seconds
Benefit Enquiry Line (for disabled people, their carers and representatives)	0800 88 22 00	30 seconds
Child Support Agency Enquiry Line	0345 133133	20 seconds
Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance Helpline	0845 712 3456	30 seconds
Advice on transferring a pension overseas, medical cover, and making a claim overseas	0191 218 7777	30 seconds
Pensions Direct – advice on state retirement pensions and widows’ benefit	0191 203 0203	30 seconds
War Pensions Agency	01253 858858	30 seconds (average)
Department of Trade and Industry	020 7215 5000	30 seconds
Companies House	029 2038 0801	20 seconds
Insolvency Service	020 7 291 6895	20 seconds

Notes:

DCMS enquiry office is open Mon-Fri 10.30-12 & 2.30-4.30
MOD aims to reduce this to 15 rings/50 seconds on 1 March 2000
Awaiting final ministerial approval

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E-mail enquiry points for central government departments and agencies

Organisation	E-mail Address
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAFF)	helpline@inf.maff.gov.uk
Arable crop and set-aside	crops@acd.maff.gov.uk
Plant and seed enquiries	m.pvro@pvs.maff.gov.uk
Plant import/export enquiries	q.info@ph.maff.gov.uk
Plant health issues	s.support-unit@phsi.maff.gov.uk
Pet travel scheme	Pets@ahvg.maff.gov.uk
Cattle movement service	Enquiries@bcms.maff.gov.uk
MAFF research	research.policy@csg.maff.gov.uk
Fish/health/imports/aquaculture	s.fishii@fish.maff.gov.uk
Tuberculosis in cattle/badgers	t.b.info@ahvg.maff.gov.uk
Central Science Laboratory	science@csl.gov.uk
Farming and Rural Conservation Agency	frca.genenq@frca.maff.gov.uk
Fish Health Inspectorate	fish.health.inspectorate@cefas.co.uk
Food Standards Agency	consumer@info.maff.gov.uk
Pesticide Safety Directorate	p.s.d.information@psd.maff.gov.uk
Cabinet Office	mmowlam@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
Crown Prosecution Service	enquiries@cps.gov.uk
Customs and Excise (Tariff enquiries only)	statistics.tso@hmce.gov.uk
Department of Culture, Media and Sport	enquiries@culture.gov.uk
Ministry of Defence	public@ministers.mod.uk
Department of Education and Employment	Info@dfee.gov.uk
Employment Service	ert.es.svh@gtnet.gov.uk www.employmentservice.gov.uk
Foreign and Commonwealth Office	www.fco.gov.uk
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (HQ)	www.detr.gov.uk
Department of Health	dh.mail@doh.gov.uk
Medical Devices Agency	www.medical-devices.gov.uk
Medicine Control Agency	www.open.gov.uk/mca/mcahome.htm
NHS Estates	www.nhsestates.gov.uk
NHS Pensions Agency	www.nhspa.gov.uk
Home Office	public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Fire Service College	fscoll@fsc-uk.org
Forensic Science Service	www.forensic.gov.uk/
Prison Service	hmppress@atlas.co.uk
Inland Revenue (1)	saorderline.ir@gtnet.gov.uk
Lord Chancellor’s Department	general.queries@lcdhq.gsi.gov.uk
Court Service	cust.ser.cs@gtnet.gov.uk
Land Registry	hmlr@dial.pipex.com
Public Record Office	enquiry@pro.gov.uk
HM Treasury	public.enquiries@hm-treasury.gov.uk
Department of Social Security HQ	peo@ms41.dss.gsi.gov.uk
Benefits Agency	baadmin@baadmin.demon.co.uk
Child Support Agency	http://www.dss.gov.uk/csa Local Offices
War Pensions Agency	warpensions@gtnet.gov.uk
Information Technology Support Agency	d.webb@ms21.dss.gsi.gov.uk
Government Office for the South East	reception.gose@go-regions.gov.uk
Government Office for London	london.gol@go-regions.gov.uk
Government Office for Yorkshire and Humberside	awalsh.goyh@go-regions.gov.uk lharper.goyh@go-regions.gov.uk
Government Office for the South West	goswbris@online.rednet.co.uk goswde@eurobell.co.uk
Government Office for the North East	general.enquiries.gone@go-regions.gov.uk land-use.planning.gone@go-regions.gov.uk sustainability.gone@go-regions.gov.uk local.transport.gone@go-regions.gov.uk local.authority.gone@go-regions.gov.uk industrial.support.gone@go-regions.gov.uk eteam.gone@go-regions.gov.uk tecs.business-links.gone@go-regions.gov.uk education.gone@go-regions.gov.uk residential.training-colleges.gone@go-regions.gov.uk
Government Office for the North West	rtalbot.gonw@go-regions.gov.uk
Government Office for the Eastern Region	customerservices.goe@go.regions.gov.uk
Government Office for the East Midlands	enquiries.goem@go-regions.gov.uk
Government Office for the West Midlands	gowrn@go-regions.gov.uk
Office of National Statistics	info@ons.gov.uk certificate.services@ons.gov.uk

Notes:

(1) A national service through which taxpayers can request self assessment forms, leaflets and related material.

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Last updated: 23 December 1999