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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
National Railway Museum
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many locomotives at the National Railway Museum in York are still capable of running; and if he will encourage the exhibition of them in use. [15486]
Mr. Fisher: There are seven locomotives at the National Railway Museum in York still in full running order and two under repair, and twelve other locomotives from the national collection currently operating elsewhere. It is for the Trustees of the Museum to decide how best to display these engines, but it is their policy to retain a proportion of the National Railway Collection in full running order for public demonstration.
Opera and Ballet (London)
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he made of the total number of performances in London by English National Opera, English National Ballet, the Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera before making his proposal that all these companies should share one venue. [15607]
Mr. Fisher: In the 1996-97 financial year the total number of performances in London by the English National Opera, English National Ballet, the Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera was as follows:
| Company | Performances in London 1996-97 |
|---|---|
| English National Opera | 185 |
| English National Ballet | 62 |
| Royal Opera | 143 |
| Royal Ballet | 111 |
DEFENCE
Army Storage
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the rationalisation of the Army's storage estate. [16281]
Dr. Reid: Work has now been completed on a study, initiated by the previous Administration, on the potential for further rationalisation of the Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency's storage estate. The analysis has show that there are likely to be some increases in aspects of the Army storage task, for example some equipment and stores return from Bosnia, but the overall balance of factors, including the likely impact of the new Government's Strategic Defence Review, indicates that there will be significant reductions in ABSDA's future storage requirement. This reflects the need to drive down the overall size of the Army storage inventory to reflect changes in Defence planning assumptions and to reduce the costs of our storeholdings. Obtaining greater efficiency from Defence spending is a central part of the Strategic Defence Review. All support activities are being rigorously scrutinised against the benchmark of value for money and the need to ensure that we retain only those assets that are essential for Defence needs.
I have, therefore, decided to accept, as the basis for consultation with the Trades Unions and other interested parties, the recommendation that the ABSDA sub-depots at Thatcham in Berkshire, and Old Dalby in Leicestershire, should close. This would realise savings of some £35 million in net present value terms over a ten-year period. I also intend to suspend the ABSDA stores division CFQ study for the time being.
Final decisions will be taken in the light of representations made during the consultation period. A copy of the Consultation Document is being placed in the library of the House.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are being made for the future delivery of pay, pensions and personnel administration services for the armed forces. [16282]
Dr. Reid:
My predecessor announced on 20 February this year, Official Report, column 720 that the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency was to be launched as a tri-Service organisation on 1 April, and that plans were in hand to appoint a commercial partner to deliver most of the Agency's services on its behalf. AFPAA was launched on the due date, and the necessary evaluation and approval processes for its partnering contract have now been completed. I have agreed that the contract should be awarded to Electronic Data Systems (Defence) Ltd.
As part of the modernisation of our Armed Forces for the 21st Century, this public-private partnering contract is the beginning of a comprehensive programme of improvement and redevelopment in the delivery of pay, pensions and personnel administrative services. It will bring new skills and technology to this area of work, and, importantly, it will provide the necessary capital, under private finance arrangements, at a level which could not be expected from the Defence budget. The contract will
13 Nov 1997 : Column: 612
run for up to 12 years at an estimated cost of over £30 million. The effective date for transfer of responsibility to EDS, including staff and capital assets, is planned for 1 January next year. About 900 civilian staff will move permanently to EDS, with 100 military personnel being placed with the company in the first instance.
In about three years' time, elements of the Army Personnel Centre in Glasgow will come under AFPAA's responsibility. This will mean the transfer of a further 500 civilian staff to EDS. There are no plans to relocate these jobs from Glasgow and any proposals would need Ministerial approval.
Ann Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if his Department plans to send inspectors to COPEX events which are eligible for Government joint venture support; [14369]
Mr. Spellar:
Because COPEX 1997 was held on Ministry of Defence land, two MOD inspectors visited the exhibition while it was being set up and during the first open day to assess the suitability for export of the equipment and services on offer. The criteria used were those announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 28 July 1997, Official Report, columns 26-29.
The MOD plays no part in the organisation of COPEX exhibitions and has no plans at the present time to send inspectors to future COPEX events.
Ann Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the support provided by his Department and DESO to private military, security and police exhibitions in the last year. [14364]
Mr. Spellar:
The Ministry of Defence has provided the following support for defence equipment exhibitions organised by private companies during the past year, all of which attracted host Government support:
Exhibition
(2) if he will list the visits to the visits to the 1997 Contingency and Operational Procurement Exhibition by Ministry of Defence inspectors; and what criteria were used to assess the types of equipment and services. [14368]
13 Nov 1997 : Column: 613
Discrimination
Mr. McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the list of names of employers who have been found to have breached the anti-discrimination legislation at an industrial tribunal and the amount of compensation awarded. [15014]
Dr. Reid: Figures for industrial tribunal applications are held centrally only for those brought by members of the Armed Forces. Figures for cases brought by civilian employees of the Department are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Royal Navy | 65,000 |
| Army | Nil |
| Royal Air Force | 10,000 |
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Royal Navy | 191,000 |
| Army | 777,300 |
| Royal Air Force | 31,944 |
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Royal Navy | 13,898,746.38 |
| Army | 21,760,119.65 |
| Royal Air Force | 21,612,724.84 |
13 Nov 1997 : Column: 614
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