Vote Social Development

For the year ending 30 June 2008

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Output Expense: Community Services Card

Description

Through this output expense the Ministry administers the distribution of the Community Services Card and provides information to the public about the Card. This output expense contributes to the Ministry’s high-level outcomes for Children and Young People, Working Age People, Older People, and Families and Wha-nau. It contributes to these outcomes by reducing the effects of hardship, and by giving low to middle income people access to affordable primary health services.

Scope

The scope of this output expense involves administering the Community Services Card. This service is managed by the Card Centre, which is a centralised processing unit with a call centre and is responsible for:

• processing applications and reapplications
• ensuring people who are entitled to receive a Community Services Card know how to apply
• producing and distributing the Community Services Cards.

The future of the Community Services Card remains under review and is dependent on health sector developments regarding Primary Health Organisations and related services.

Performance Information

The volume of applications and renewals of Community Services Cards to be processed in 2007/2008 is expected to be 174,800.

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
87.2%	Quality The percentage of all calls to the Card Centre answered within 20 seconds will be no less than:	85%	85%
94.7%	Accuracy The percentage of Community Services Card entitlement assessments accurately completed as determined by regulation will be no less than:	90%	90%
91.1%	Timeliness The percentage of initial applications and those requiring validation processed within two working days of receipt will be no less than:	90%	90%

Departmental Output Expense

Community Services Card

Financial Performance (Figures are GST exclusive)	2006/2007		2007/2008
	Budgeted $000	Estimated Actual $000	Budgeted $000
Revenue
Crown	5,728	5,728	5,728
Department	36	36	36
Total Revenue	5,764	5,764	5,764
Total Expense	5,764	5,764	5,764
Net Surplus/(Deficit)	-	-	-

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Output Expense: Debt Management – Former Beneficiaries

Description

Through this output expense the Ministry provides services to manage debt owed by former beneficiaries. Debt is identified as either recoverable assistance provided to beneficiaries in times of specific hardship; or as a result of overpayments through Ministry or client error, abuse or fraud. This output expense supports the achievement of the Ministry’s outcomes by ensuring agreed repayments are promptly negotiated and collected in a way that maximises the return to the Crown and reflects the former beneficiaries’ current circumstances.

Scope

This output expense includes managing the collection of non-current debts caused through:

• Recoverable assistance
  • Special Needs Grants (recoverable)
  • Advances
• System integrity related debt
  • overpayments generated by the Ministry or client oversight or error
  • Liable Parent Contribution and Maintenance
  • debt arising from fraud and abuse of the benefit system
  • debt arising from Student Allowances and fraudulently received Student Loans
  • debt arising from employment-related grants and allowances.

The collection of current benefit debt is managed in two output expenses:

• Services to Provide Benefit Entitlements and Obligations to Working Age Beneficiaries and to Promote Self-Sufficiency
• Services to Seniors.
  Performance Information

Performance Information

The Ministry is developing a Ministry-wide debt strategy to reduce the negative impact of debt on people’s ability to participate in the social and economic life of their communities.

The strategy will identify clear outcomes and activities that are intended to prevent, minimise and mitigate the negative impacts of:

• debt related to the integrity of the benefit system (errors, abuse and fraud)
• debt related to recoverable assistance (where people owe money relating to recoverable assistance paid to them)
• multiple state agency debt (where people owe money to more than one state agency) and
• private sector debt (where people have problems managing their debts with private sector organisations).

The Ministry will continue monitoring and measuring progress towards the achievement of the debt strategy outcomes that was initiated in 2006/2007. It is proposed to include the appropriate measures in the Ministry’s Statement of Intent 2008/2009.

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
Revised measure in 2007/2008	Quantity6 The actual amount of money collected by the Integrity Services Debt Collection Units is expected to be:	Revised measure in 2007/2008	$77m - $82m
82%	Quality The proportion of former beneficiaries on arrangement to pay, or paid in full within four months of debt establishment will be no less than:	82%	82%

Departmental Output Expense

Debt Management – Former Beneficiaries

Financial Performance (Figures are GST exclusive)	2006/2007		2007/2008
	Budgeted $000	Estimated Actual $000	Budgeted $000
Revenue
Crown	19,442	19,442	19,272
Department	180	180	180
Total Revenue	19,622	19,622	19,452
Total Expense	19,622	19,622	19,452
Net Surplus/(Deficit)	-	-	-

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Output Expense: Family and Community Services

Description

Through this output expense the Ministry provides services to strengthen families and communities with an emphasis on prevention and early intervention. This output expense contributes primarily to the Ministry’s high-level outcomes for Families and Wha-nau, and for Communities, Hapu and Iwi. Our services under this output expense contribute to these outcomes by building the knowledge and capability of families and communities, by supporting programmes that build resilience and safety, and by promoting social cohesion, service co-ordination and participation in communities.

Our Family and Community Services service line leads and co-ordinates prevention and early intervention services to families and communities across New Zealand.

Scope

The scope of this output expense includes:

• The leadership, facilitation and planning processes that contribute to enhanced social outcomes for families, young people and communities. This output contains generic planning and co-ordination of social services for families, young people and communities at a local, regional and national level. It also includes developmental work on specific services led out of National Office prior to implementation.
• The provision of information and advice that assists families, young people and communities to access services and develop knowledge. This output contains the delivery of information and advice to families, young people and communities through websites, directories and helplines.
• The management of preventative social services programmes. This output contains the administration and funding of the delivery of social services related programmes to families, young people and communities through third parties, usually community and voluntary based provider groups. It includes Departmental and Non-Departmental funded services.

Leadership, Facilitation and Planning Processes

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
	Quantity/Quality The Ministry of Social Development provides facilities and co-ordination services to Heartland Services Centres to the satisfaction of agencies and clients:7
New measure in 2006/2007	the average number of agencies operating out of Heartland Services Centres on a monthly basis will be no less than:	19	21
New measure in 2006/2007	the average number of clients using Heartland Services Centres on a monthly basis will be no less than:	7,000	7,000
New measure in 2007/2008	• the number of Heartland Services Centres will be maintained at no less than:	New measure in 2007/2008	34
New measure in 2006/2007	Timeliness Local Services Mapping The percentage of community profiles developed through Local Services Mapping that result in an action plan within 12 months of publication will be no less than:	90%	90%

Provision of Information and Advice

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
New measure in 2006/2007	Timeliness The time taken to action requests received from providers to update their details on the National Directory will be no more than:	5 working days	5 working days

Management of Social Services Programmes

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
New measure in 2006/2007	Quality The proportion of contracts meeting standards outlined in the Treasury Guidelines for Contracting with Non-Government Organisations for services sought by the Crown will be no less than:	100%	100%
New measure in 2007/2008	All funding agreements will have their provider monitoring reports reviewed and assessed at least once per year for contract compliance:	New measure in 2007/2008	Standard met
New measure in 2006/2007	Timeliness The percentage of payments to providers that are made in accordance with their contracts will be no less than:	95%	97%

Departmental Output Expense

Family and Community Services

Financial Performance (Figures are GST exclusive)	2006/2007		2007/2008
	Budgeted $000	Estimated Actual $000	Budgeted $000
Revenue
Crown	25,811	25,811	28,509
Department	90	90	129
Total Revenue	25,901	25,901	28,638
Total Expense	25,901	25,901	28,638
Net Surplus/(Deficit)	-	-	-

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Output Expense: Policy and Purchase Advice

Description

Through this output expense the Ministry provides social sector policy advice, research and evaluation, purchase and monitoring advice and Ministerial services. This output expense contributes to the Ministry’s high-level outcomes for Children and Young People; Working Age People; Older People; Families and Wha-nau; and Communities, Hapu- and Iwi.

Social Services Policy Advice

This output provides high-quality policy advice that supports and strengthens strong families and communities and improves outcomes for children and young people, working age people, older people, and families and communities. This advice informs decisions on:

• the care and protection of children and the successful transition of young people to adulthood
• social and employment assistance and incentives to encourage participation in sustainable employment and in society
• positive ageing and retirement income issues
• better social outcomes for people with disabilities
• programmes that encourage the development of well-functioning and supportive families
• strengthening community infrastructure and investing in the community and voluntary sector.

Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector

The Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector supports government agencies to develop effective relationships with the community and voluntary sector so that policy advice and service delivery is effectively delivered. The key functions of the Office include:

• facilitating strong collaboration between government and the community and voluntary sector
• promoting the sharing of information and good practice between government agencies to strengthen government’s relationships with the community and voluntary sector
• providing advice and support to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector.

Office for Disability Issues

The Office for Disability Issues leads work to enhance the participation of people with disabilities in society. The key functions of the Office include:

• supporting the Minister for Disability Issues
• providing policy advice on disability issues, including:
  • leading strategic policy development across Government
  • maintaining an overview of, and contributing to a disability perspective, policy development by other agencies
  • meeting formal international obligations, for example as a member country of the United Nations
  • promoting, monitoring and reporting on progress of the New Zealand Disability Strategy within Government and the wider community
  • building strong relationships with the disability sector.

Social Research and Evaluation

Through this output the Ministry provides an ongoing programme of evaluation, social research, monitoring, forecasting, and data analysis. The Ministry actively promotes research and evaluation findings, and also promotes social sector research and evaluation capability and capacity-building projects. This helps to ensure that:

• the Government’s social investment strategies are based on sound evidence
• the New Zealand public and key stakeholders understand key social issues and trends, their causes and consequences
• the wider social research and evaluation community develops its capability and capacity.

The scope of the social research and evaluation output includes:

• promoting and expanding the evidential base of information for social policy decision-making
• identifying and assessing the implications of enduring and emerging social issues for policy advice
• assessing the effectiveness, impact and delivery of particular government policies and programmes, and assisting in their development
• building an understanding of the dynamics surrounding the delivery of social assistance and employment assistance
• developing and improving social assistance data/information
• undertaking operational research, performance monitoring and analysis of the Ministry’s service delivery relationships, including with clients, employers, students and contact centre users
• preparing fiscal forecasts for Government expenditure on social assistance benefits, and New Zealand Superannuation.

Purchase and Monitoring

Through this output the Ministry provides purchase advice and monitoring services to the Minister for Social Development and Employment, to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and value for money in social service Crown entities, and to monitor the delivery of services against requirements set by Government.

The Ministry is responsible for providing purchase advice and monitoring services relating to the:

• Children’s Commissioner
• Families Commission
• New Zealand Artificial Limb Board
• Retirement Commissioner
• Social Worker Registration Board.

The scope of the purchase advice and monitoring services includes:

• strategic purchase advice on the extent to which services contribute to government outcomes and results
• advice on the efficiency and cost effectiveness of services
• advice on new programmes and spending, particularly Budget proposals
• advice about the development of the statements of intent and output agreements
• quarterly reporting to the Minister on the performance of Crown entities against their output agreements, and the assessment of any delivery risks
• special projects related to service delivery performance
• service reviews at Ministers’ request
• facilitating effective working relationships with relevant entities.

Ministerial Servicing

Through this output the Ministry provides Ministerial, advisory, support and administrative services to or on behalf of the Minister for Social Development and Employment and Ministerial advisory committees and groups.

The scope of the Ministerial servicing output includes:

• replies to Ministerial correspondence
• speeches, briefing notes, reports and other information as required
• replies to parliamentary questions
• replies required by legislation (includes Ombudsman, Official Information Act, and Privacy Commissioner)
• advisory support and information for Ministers as required in Cabinet committees, select committees and Parliament.

Performance Information (Policy, Research and Evaluation)

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
Standard met	Quantity and Timeliness Policy advice will be delivered in accordance with a work programme8that is agreed with their respective Ministers:	Standard met	Standard met 9
Standard met	Research and Evaluation advice will be delivered in accordance with a work programme10 that is agreed with their respective Ministers:	Standard met	Standard met 11
Standard met	Policy advice from the Office for Disability Issues and the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector will be delivered in accordance with a work programme that is agreed with their respective Ministers:	Standard met	Standard met12
Processes are complied with	Quality13 Process An audit shows that the Ministry of Social Development’s policy and research processes as outlined in the Quality Management System have been followed in at least: 14	90% of cases	90% of cases
Revised measure in 2006/2007	Technical robustness An external independent review of the Ministry of Social Development’s policy advice confirms that it meets acceptable standards based on pre-determined criteria:	Standard met	Standard met 15
Standard met	Social research and evaluation reports Internal and/or external reviewers critically appraise the quality and content of social research and evaluation reports that are intended for publication:	Quality reviewed	Quality reviewed

Performance Information (Purchase and Monitoring)

Result16 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
Revised measure in 2005/2006	Quantity17 Provide advice on agency statements of intent and output agreements:18	5	5
Revised measure in 2005/2006	Provide monitoring reports on each agency’s quarterly performance report against their statements of intent and output agreements: 19	20	20
Standard met	Quality Advice and reports will meet the quality characteristics described in the Ministry of Social Development’s Quality Management System:20	Quality characteristics met	Quality characteristics met
Revised measure in 2005/2006	Timeliness Purchase advice will be delivered to Ministers within negotiated deadlines: 21	100%	100%
Revised measure in 2005/2006	Draft statements of intent and output agreements22 for the following year are reviewed and commented on no later than 31 May 2008:	May 2007	100%
Timeliness standard met	Quarterly Reports are reviewed no later than 20 working days from receipt of the final agency reports:	Within 20 working days of receipt of the final agency report	100%

Performance Information (Ministerial Servicing)

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
95.0%	Quality The percentage of ministerial drafts provided for the Minister’s signature, containing no avoidable errors will be no less than:	95%	95%
100%	The percentage of parliamentary question drafts provided for the Minister’s signature where error could have been avoided will be no less than:	100%	100%
95.0%	Timeliness The percentage of draft Ministerial replies to be completed within 20 working days of receipt by the Ministry, unless otherwise agreed:	95%	95%
Revised measure in 2006/2007	Information for oral parliamentary questions will be provided to the Minister’s office within the timeframe they specify:	100%	100%
100%	The percentage of written parliamentary questions will be answered within the time specified by the Minister’s office:	100%	100%

Departmental Output Expense

Policy and Purchase Advice

Financial Performance (Figures are GST exclusive)	2006/2007		2007/2008
	Budgeted $000	Estimated Actual $000	Budgeted $000
Revenue
Crown	37,530	37,530	38,311
Department	1,388	1,388	1,434
Total Revenue	38,918	38,918	39,745
Total Expense	38,918	38,918	39,745
Net Surplus/(Deficit)	-	-	-

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Output Expense: Services to Minimise the Duration of Unemployment and Move People into Work

Description

Through this output expense the Ministry provides services aimed at assisting job seekers into sustainable employment. This output expense contributes to the Ministry’s high-level outcome for working age people by preparing clients for work, placing clients into employment, and supporting clients while in employment.

To assist clients into sustainable employment we will:

• work in partnership with industry to identify skill and labour shortages
• develop labour market opportunities for job seekers
• work with communities to enhance labour market development.

Scope

The scope of this output expense includes developing regional employment initiatives and providing tailored case management and contracted employment training to:

• help people who are receiving a benefit and are able to work, to enter the workforce and achieve a sustainable employment outcome
• help people who are receiving a benefit and are not able to work immediately, or at all, to become work ready or to participate in their communities.

Assisting people into sustainable employment includes:

• assessing clients’ capability to work
• supporting job seekers to develop skills and knowledge relevant to labour market opportunities
• actively working with industry to identify employment opportunities for job seeking clients
• matching job seekers to appropriate employment opportunities
• providing clients with support once they are placed into employment.

The scope of this output expense also includes assisting disadvantaged communities and groups to recognise and develop their own labour market initiatives, and to use their assets to create employment opportunities that lead to self sufficiency and contribute to the local economy.

Performance Information

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure23	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
37.7%	Getting clients into work The proportion of job-seeking clients in receipt of a core benefit who exit into employment will be:	35%	35%
38.7%	The proportion of job-seeking clients in receipt of a core benefit with a duration of six months or more, who exit into employment will be:	36%	36%
40.4 weeks	Clients remaining in work longer The average cumulative time that job-seeking clients, who exit to work, spend in employment over the course of a year will be:	36.5 weeks	36.5 weeks
65.5%	The proportion of job-seeking clients who exited into employment and achieved six months continuous employment will be: 24	58%	58%

Departmental Output Expense

Services to Minimise the Duration of Unemployment and Move People into Work

Financial Performance (Figures are GST exclusive)	2006/2007		2007/2008
	Budgeted $000	Estimated Actual $000	Budgeted $000
Revenue
Crown	219,016	219,016	228,676
Department	1,481	1,481	1,621
Total Revenue	220,497	220,497	230,297
Total Expense	220,497	220,497	230,297
Net Surplus/(Deficit)	-	-	-

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Output Expense: Services to Protect the Integrity of the Benefit System

Description

Through this output expense the Ministry provides services to minimise errors, fraud and abuse of the benefit system by:

• identifying problems that may undermine the integrity of the benefit system
• raising awareness of the consequences of non-compliance
• preventing, detecting, and investigating benefit fraud
• sanctioning those who commit benefit fraud.

Scope

The scope of this output expense includes:

• undertaking programmes aimed at preventing benefit errors, fraud and abuse
• helping clients to be aware of their entitlements and obligations, and comply with those obligations
• early detection of fraud to mitigate client debt escalation and consequential barriers to their social and economic independence
• investigating irregularities and sanctioning deliberate fraud to deter reoccurrence by the offender, and to signal to others the seriousness and consequences of benefit abuse.

Specific activities include:

• Supporting system and policy design:
  • using experience from operational activities to support policy design and service delivery.
• Early Intervention Strategy and prevention:
  • using early intervention interviews and brokerage to ensure clients are receiving their full and correct entitlement, to remind them of their obligations, and to assist them to access additional services where required
  • undertaking data matching to detect clients who are receiving or have been receiving entitlements to which they are not eligible²⁵
  • encouraging the timely notification of changes in clients’ circumstances during client review process by issuing entitlement review forms to `selected clients
  • carrying out lower level investigations on selected client situations that appear to differ from the information held by the Ministry.
• Investigations and prosecutions:
  • the investigation of irregularities in client information and of allegations received from external sources, to detect and assess the overpayment of entitlements and to take follow-up action to deter clients from re-offending
  • prosecution action against clients who deliberately commit benefit fraud.

Performance Information

The Ministry is implementing a new outcomes framework to support the integrity of the benefit system and ensure that people receive their correct entitlement to social security assistance.

The outcomes framework supports the Ministry-wide debt strategy (refer to Output Expense: Debt Management – Former Beneficiaries) and underpins a strong response to any integrity problems. It identifies clear outcomes that will drive the Ministry’s approach to:

• minimising the opportunity for benefit error, abuse and fraud
• reducing clients’ propensity or ability to commit abuse and fraud
• minimising debt related to benefit error, abuse and fraud and
• maximising the recovery of debt in a way that reflects clients’ circumstances.

The Ministry will continue monitoring and measuring progress towards the achievement of the Integrity Services outcomes that was initiated in 2006/2007. It is proposed to include the appropriate measures in the Ministry’s Statement of Intent 2008/2009.

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
84.0%	The percentage of clients aware of the consequences of committing benefit fraud will exceed:	75%	75%
22.5%	The change of circumstances notification for clients contacted through the Early Intervention Strategy will exceed:	15%	20%
New measure in 2006/2007	All change of circumstances notifications arising out of early interventions will be notified to the appropriate case manager to ensure clients receive correct entitlement within:	5 working days	3 working days
94.5%	Of the cases that we prosecute, the proportion of successful prosecutions concluded will exceed:	85%	85%

Departmental Output Expense

Services to Protect the Integrity of the Benefit System

Financial Performance (Figures are GST exclusive)	2006/2007		2007/2008
	Budgeted $000	Estimated Actual $000	Budgeted $000
Revenue
Crown	37,057	37,057	36,118
Department	300	300	346
Total Revenue	37,357	37,357	36,464
Total Expense	37,357	37,357	36,464
Net Surplus/(Deficit)	-	-	-

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Output Expense: Services to Provide Benefit Entitlements and Obligations to Working Age Beneficiaries and to Promote Self-Sufficiency

Description

Through this output expense the Ministry provides income support and services to encourage economic and social inclusion. This output expense contributes primarily to the Ministry’s high-level outcomes for Working Age People and Families and Wha-nau, by enabling working age people to participate in, and contribute to, society.

To achieve this, we will:

• ensure all clients receive their full and correct entitlements
• help people not in employment to receive the benefits to which they are entitled
• help people in employment know about and access the assistance to which they are entitled
• make work pay through the Working for Families package.

Scope

The scope of this output expense includes:

• providing information on the full range of assistance available so people can apply for assistance for which they might be eligible
• informing people of their rights and obligations when they receive income support
• assessing, verifying and paying income support
• managing people’s needs for income support and other assistance, including responding to changes in people’s circumstances in a timely and appropriate manner
• managing client debt repayments in a way that balances the client’s ability to repay with the need to ensure integrity of the benefit system
• providing individual assistance to those for whom an employment outcome is not an immediate option, for example single parents caring for their children, people who have ill health or people with a disability
• providing information on social, community, and employment services, and referring people to the agencies that best meet their needs.

Services to Provide Income Support and Other Assistance to Eligible People

The average number of working age beneficiaries²⁶ in 2007/2008 is expected to remain under 270,000.

Performance Information

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
91.5%	Quality The percentage of clients satisfied with the level of service provided by contact centres will be no less than:	85%	85 - 90%
82.8%	The percentage of clients satisfied with the level of service provided by case managers will be no less than:	85%	80 - 85%
86.4%	Timeliness The percentage of entitlement assessments completed within five working days will be no less than:	85%	85%
92.5%	Accuracy The percentage of entitlement assessments completed accurately will be no less than:	90%	90%
96.0%	Debt Management The percentage of current debtors27 repaying debt will be no less than:	90%	90%

Departmental Output Expense

Services to Provide Benefit Entitlements and Obligations to Working Age Beneficiaries and to Promote Self-Sufficiency

Financial Performance (Figures are GST exclusive)	2006/2007		2007/2008
	Budgeted $000	Estimated Actual $000	Budgeted $000
Revenue
Crown	260,484	260,484	268,436
Department	8,185	8,185	8,479
Other	4,349	4,349	4,349
Total Revenue	273,018	273,018	281,264
Total Expense	273,018	273,018	281,264
Net Surplus/(Deficit)	-	-	-

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Output Expense: Services to Seniors

Description

Through this output expense the Ministry provides services to seniors living in New Zealand and overseas. These services aim to promote self-reliance, positive ageing, and independence for older people. This output expense contributes primarily to the Ministry's high-level outcome for Older People, by providing New Zealand Superannuation and other entitlements, and by providing portability arrangements so New Zealand superannuitants have entitlement regardless of where they choose to live. It also contributes by increasing the network of international social security agreements.

Scope

The scope of this output expense includes:

• assessing, paying and reviewing entitlements for New Zealand Superannuation (NZ Super) and supplementary benefits, grants, allowances and subsidies paid to NZ Super clients or pensioners
• administering and implementing New Zealand’s international social security agreements and general portability and special portability arrangements.
• administering the SuperGold Card.

Performance Information (Services to Seniors)

The average number of superannuitants in 2007/2008 is expected to be 506,000. The average number of superannuitants in 2006/2007 was expected to be 495,000.

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
94.3%	Quality The percentage of clients satisfied with the level of service provided will be no less than:	90%	90 - 95%
94.8%	Accuracy The percentage of entitlement assessments completed accurately will be no less than:	92%	92%
83.0%	Timeliness The percentage of entitlement assessments completed within five working days shall be no less than:	85%	85%

Performance Information (International Services)

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
95.8%	Accuracy The percentage of entitlement assessments completed accurately will be no less than:	92%	92%
Revised measure in 2007/2008	Timeliness The percentage of applications for payment overseas finalised within 20 working days will be no les than:	Revised measure in 2007/2008	90%
Revised measure in 2006/2007	The percentage of review actions, including correspondence, that are completed within five working days will be no less than:	90%	93%
92.3%	The percentage of all incoming calls that are answered within 20 seconds will be no less than:	90%	90%
Revised measure in 2006/2007	Satisfaction The percentage of independently surveyed clients who report that they are satisfied with the level of service and information provided will be no less than:	85%	80 - 85%

Performance Information (SuperGold Card)

The volume of SuperGold Cards to be issued in 2007/2008 is expected to be 520,000.

The Statement of Intent 2007/2008 specific benchmarking monitors for this output are:

Benchmarking Monitor
Accuracy The percentage of SuperGold Card entitlement assessments accurately completed as determined by regulation.
Timeliness The percentage of all calls to the SuperGold Card information line answered within 20 seconds. The percentage of SuperGold Card applications and those requiring validation processed within two working days of receipt.

Departmental Output Expense

Services to Seniors

Financial Performance (Figures are GST exclusive)	2006/2007		2007/2008
	Budgeted $000	Estimated Actual $000	Budgeted $000
Revenue
Crown	36,783	36,783	41,107
Department	366	366	412
Total Revenue	37,149	37,149	41,519
Total Expense	37,149	37,149	41,519
Net Surplus/(Deficit)	-	-	-

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Output Expense: Services to Students

Description

Through this output expense the Ministry provides financial support to New Zealand students who might otherwise be unable to access tertiary education. This output expense contributes to the Ministry’s high-level outcomes for Children and Young People, Working Age People, and Families and Whanau. It contributes to these outcomes by helping people gain qualifications which will improve their employment prospects and by providing support to families who have one or more members studying.

The StudyLink service line manages the delivery of Student Allowance, Student Loan and Scholarship services. Student Allowance, Student Loan and Scholarship policy is primarily the responsibility of the Ministry of Education (MOE). StudyLink works closely with MOE, the Inland Revenue, New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the Tertiary Education Commission to ensure the delivery of services, communications and advice to Government are effectively co-ordinated.

Scope

The scope of this output expense includes:

• providing information to help students understand all Student Allowance and Student Loan obligations and entitlements
• assessing, verifying and paying Student Allowances and Student Loans to students
• assisting students to consider all options for funding their study
• providing comprehensive information to students who are considering entering tertiary study
• administering grants and scholarships for students participating in tertiary education.
  Student Allowances
• The volume of Student Allowance applications approved in 2007/2008 is expected to be in the range of 57,100 to 62,100 (from a total of between 86,500 to 91,500 applications received).
• The volume of Student Allowance applications approved in 2006/2007 was expected to be in the range of 58,000 to 63,000 (from a total of between 83,000 to 94,000 applications received).

Student Loans

• The volume of Student Loan accounts established in 2007/2008 is expected to be in the range of 179,000 to 184,750 (from a total of between 230,500 to 235,500 applications received).
• The volume of Student Loan accounts established in 2006/2007 was expected to be in the range of 166,000 to 171,000 (from a total of between 211,000 to 216,000 applications received).

Performance Information (Client Satisfaction)

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
84.4%	The percentage of independently surveyed students satisfied with the level of service provided by the StudyLink contact centre will be no less than:	85%	80 - 85%
82.3%	The percentage of independently surveyed students satisfied with the level of service from StudyLink staff will be no less than:	85%	80 - 85%
84.0%	The percentage of independently surveyed institutions that are satisfied with the level of service from StudyLink staff will be no less than:	85%	80 - 85%
92.1%	The percentage of independently surveyed users of the On Course programme who found the programme information valuable will be no less than:	90%	90 - 95%
95.3%	The percentage of New Zealand secondary schools contacted that will participate in one or more components of the On Course programme will be no less than:	90%	93%

Performance Information (Timeliness)

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
95.4%	Student Allowances The initial entitlement assessment for a Student Allowance will be completed within five working days of application receipt:	95%	95%
98.3%	Student Loans The initial entitlement assessment for a Student Loan will be completed within three working days of application receipt:	95%	95%

Performance Information (Accuracy)

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
97.7%	Student Allowances The percentage of students who receive their correct Student Allowance entitlement on their first payment will be no less than:	95%	95%
99.7%	Student Loans The percentage of students who receive their correct entitlement (living cost component) on their first payment will be no less than:	95%	96%

Departmental Output Expense

Services to Students

Financial Performance (Figures are GST exclusive)	2006/2007		2007/2008
	Budgeted $000	Estimated Actual $000	Budgeted $000
Revenue
Crown	34,942	34,942	32,355
Department	125	125	164
Total Revenue	35,067	35,067	32,519
Total Expense	35,067	35,067	32,519
Net Surplus/(Deficit)	-	-	-

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Output Expense: Social Development Leadership

Description

Through this output expense the Ministry provides social development leadership that contributes to the Ministry’s strategic aim of Leading Social Development. This is achieved through the provision of strategic social policy advice, the development and provision of a strong evidence base for this advice and through regional social development leadership.

Scope

The scope of this output expense includes:

• monitoring and reporting on the social wellbeing of New Zealanders
• using a social development approach to support policy decision-making from a “all-of-government” perspective
• providing government with evidence-based advice on current strategies and initiatives
• ensuring that well-founded research, evaluation and analysis of administrative data and social statistics continues to strengthen this evidence base
• developing medium and long-term policy proposals relating to significant and cross-sectoral social policy issues
• providing government with accurate forecasts of the costs of current programmes and modelling potential cost impacts of new proposals
• bringing together research and evaluation evidence from elsewhere on key social policy issues for Government
• providing the Ministry’s service lines with the means to analyse and report on their interactions with clients
• jointly co-ordinating social research through the Social Policy Evaluation and Research (SPEaR) committee
• leading, facilitating and contributing to “all of government” regional and local social development initiatives
• identifying social, economic and infrastructural issues of high priority to the regions; communicating these priorities to National Office and facilitating progress through government agencies’ work programmes
• communicating the Government’s big picture priorities to the regions.

Performance Information (Strategic Social Policy Advice)

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
Standard met	Quantity/Timeliness Policy advice will be delivered in accordance with a work programme28 that is agreed with the Minister for Social Development and Employment:	Standard met	Standard met29
Processes are complied with	Quality30 Process An audit shows that the Ministry of Social Development’s policy processes as outlined in the Quality Management System have been followed in at least:31	90% of cases	90% of cases
Revised measure in 2007/2008	Technical robustness An external independent review of the Ministry of Social Development’s policy advice confirms that it meets acceptable standards based on pre-determined criteria:	Revised measure in 2007/2008	Standard met 32

Performance Information (Regional Social Development)

Result 2005/2006	Performance Measure	Standard 2006/2007	Standard 2007/2008
Standard met	Timeliness Regional Commissioners for Social Development will complete consultation with their communities and staff by 30 April 2008 to provide the Minister for Social Development and Employment with annual regional plans that state the strategic aims for each region for the following year:	Standard met	Standard met
New measure in 2007/2008	Regional Social Policy will produce quarterly reports on priorities identified through EPI-net and the Emerging Policy Issues Senior Official Group (EPISOG) and stakeholder feedback on progress achieved no later than six weeks from quarter end:	New measure in 2007/2008	Standard met 33

Departmental Output Expense

Social Development Leadership

Financial Performance (Figures are GST exclusive)	2006/2007		2007/2008
	Budgeted $000	Estimated Actual $000	Budgeted $000
Revenue
Crown	2,879	2,879	2,879
Department	52	52	52
Total Revenue	2,931	2,931	2,931
Total Expense	2,931	2,931	2,931
Net Surplus/(Deficit)	-	-	-

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6 All the debt collected by the Integrity Services Debt Collection Units has been collapsed into one measure.

7 These Heartlands measures were developed as quantity measures but also as a proxy for quality. As attendance is voluntary, the assumption made is that if the services are not useful neither the agencies nor the clients would use the centres.

8 Work programme may include the Ministry’s Key Priorities document as agreed between the Chief Executive and the Minister.
9 Standard met means that we have received confirmation from the Minister via the Minister’s Office that advice has been delivered in accordance with a work programme.
10 Work programme may include the Ministry’s Key Priorities document as agreed between the Chief Executive and the Minister.
11 Standard met means that we received confirmation from the Minister via the Minister’s Office that advice has been delivered in accordance with a work programme.
12 Standard met means that we received confirmation from the respective Ministers via their offices that advice has been delivered in accordance with a work programme.

13 The work in relation to the audit, review or survey for these measures will be conducted during the year and reported on an annual basis.
14 The quality characteristics in the Ministry’s Quality Management System are based on decision-making (defining, debating and deciding) and communication (capturing issues, convincing and confirming).
15 The standard for this measure is based on a continuum of: standard not met; standard met; and standard exceeded.

16 Results for 2005/2006 included the Statement of Intent and Quarterly Reports of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services prior to its merger with the Ministry of Social Development.
17 As a result of its merger with the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services, the Ministry no longer provides advice on the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services Statement of Intent and Quarterly Report.
18 This measure also excludes the preparation of the Ministry’s own Output Plan. In addition in 2006/2007 the standard for this measure was revised to take into account the Ministry’s merger with Child, Youth and Family.
19 In 2006/2007, the standard for this measure was revised to take into account the Ministry’s merger with Child, Youth and Family.
20 The quality characteristics in the Ministry’s Quality Management System are based on decision making (defining, debating and deciding) and communication (capturing issues, convincing and confirming).
21 This measure was expanded in 2005/2006 to include all Ministers that the Ministry provides purchase and monitoring advice to.
22 Output agreements also refer to memoranda of understanding where no funding is provided via Vote Social Development.

23 For the purposes of these measures, a job-seeker is defined as a client who is actively seeking full time employment (i.e. 30 hours or more per week).
24 This measure is acknowledged as a proxy measure by the Ministry as the reference “into employment”, and the associated extended period of monitoring for the measure, means that these results could capture instances where the actual “employment” outcome is contributed to by other circumstances outside of the Ministry’s control.

25 Data matching also provides information to support investigations and prosecutions.

26 Working age means people aged 18-64 years. This reflects the entitlement age for most income tested benefits. It includes Unemployment Benefit, Unemployment Benefit - Hardship, Unemployment Benefit – Training, Unemployment Benefit – Hardship Training, Independent Youth Benefit, Domestic Purposes Benefit - Sole Parent, Domestic Purposes Benefit - Caring for the Sick and Infirm, Domestic Purposes Benefit - Women Alone, Sickness Benefit, Sickness Benefit - Hardship, Emergency Maintenance Allowance, Invalid’s Benefit, Widow’s Benefit and Emergency Benefit.

27 Current debtors are those clients who are currently in receipt of a benefit and have a debt with the Ministry.

28 Work programme may include the Ministry’s Key Priorities document as agreed between the Chief Executive and the Minister.
29 Standard met means that we received confirmation from the Minister via the Minister’s Office that advice has been delivered in accordance with a work programme.
30 The work in relation to the audit, review or survey for these measures will be conducted during the year and reported on an annual basis.
31 The quality characteristics in the Ministry’s Quality Management System are based on decision-making (defining, debating and deciding) and communication (capturing issues, convincing and confirming).
32 The standard for this measure is based on a continuum of: standard not met; standard met; and standard exceeded.

33 The standard for this measure requires quarterly reports to be signed out by all agreed internal Ministry stakeholders as meeting the Ministry’s quality standards.