The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Jonathan Djanogly)
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) supports the Public Guardian in discharging his statutory duties under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The OPG business plan 2011-12 will be published today, The business plan will be available on the Ministry of Justice website and copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
The following are the significant impact indicators that have been set by the OPG for the year 2011-12.
The percentage of lasting and enduring powers of attorney being registered within 11 weeks.
Upon receipt of an application to register an EPA or LPA, the OPG will process the application and register the instrument within 11 weeks. This includes the statutory waiting period of six weeks during which people entitled to notice can lodge objections to the registration.
The number of case reviews of deputyships.
We will review a proportion of total case load in 2011-12. Case reviews help us to ensure that our supervision of deputies is operating effectively and in the best interests of the client.
The number of visits undertaken.
As the main means of face-to-face contact with customers, visits are a useful tool in assessing how a deputyship is operating in practice, and what support deputies and clients want to receive from the OPG. Visits also support compliance investigations.
The number of investigations concluded within three and six months.
When an investigation into the actions of an attorney or a deputy is commenced, timely conclusion is an important safeguard for the client and provides assurance to whistleblowers and families that we are acting on their concerns.
Cost-recovery percentage.
OPG operates on a full cost-recovery basis through the fees it charges for services. The full set of indicators is published within the business plan.