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Defence Diplomacy
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the budget for defence diplomacy for 1999-2000. [74655]
Mr. George Robertson:
The budget for centrally funded Defence Diplomacy activities for 1999-2000 will be found from within the Defence Military Assistance Fund (DMAF). The planned DMAF budget for the next financial year will be around £16 million. This represents an increase of some £5 million over 1998-99. The enhancement is specifically intended to fund additional Defence Diplomacy initiatives.
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No decision has yet been taken on the final allocation of the DMAF for 1999-2000, but the majority will be utilised to fund Defence Diplomacy-related activities. The remainder will subsidise military assistance under the Support to Wider British Interests Mission.
Top Level Budget Holders also fund activities undertaken as part of the Defence Diplomacy Mission. Figures for these activities are not identified separately.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what means his Department assesses the impact of defence diplomacy. [74654]
Mr. George Robertson:
We are developing a range of Defence Diplomacy objectives that will be embedded in the Department's planning process. Performance against those objectives will be assessed for each of the management areas concerned. In addition, a Committee chaired by the Deputy Policy Director has been created to oversee the implementation of Defence Diplomacy activities.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the planned budget and total staff of the Chief of Defence Logistics after 1 April 2000. [74652]
Mr. George Robertson:
The Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO), under the leadership of the Chief of Defence Logistics (CDL), will form on 1 April 1999. It will combine the three existing single-service logistics organisations, and headquarters logistic staff currently based in London, into a fully integrated logistics organisation. CDL will operate as a Top Level Budget Holder.
Detailed budgetary allocations to individual budget holders in the Ministry of Defence are made only one year in advance. Details for 1999-2000 will appear in the forthcoming Supply Estimates for that year and in the supporting information published alongside the Government Expenditure Plans. But, in broad terms, our plans for the financial year 2000-2001 envisage cash expenditure of the order of £4.5 billion in CDL's area of responsibility. The detailed budget will be published next year in Supply Estimates for 2000-2001.
Work continues to determine the structure of the unified DLO post 1 April 2000, however, initial staff numbers will be broadly comparable to the sum of the three Principal Administrative Officers' organisations which, as published in the UK Defence Statistics 1998, number some 41,400.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what logistical responsibilities and budgets will be left to the individual services following the implementation of a unified defence logistics organisation after 1 April 2000. [74648]
Mr. George Robertson:
Following the implementation of the unified defence logistics organisation, the individual services will retain responsibility (including the budgets) for logistics at the Front-line.
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Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends publishing his Department's annual Defence Strategic Plan. [74657]
Mr. George Robertson:
The Defence Strategic Plan is a classified document and is therefore not published.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are in place to enable the Defence Council to exercise collective ownership of the implementation of the Strategic Defence Review. [74656]
Mr. George Robertson:
Implementation of the Strategic Defence Review is discussed regularly at meetings of the Defence Council.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the key milestones and timetables for deliverance of the Strategic Defence Review implementation. [74646]
Mr. George Robertson:
Key targets for the Department and a timetable for achieving them, reflecting the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review, were set out in the Ministry of Defence's Public Service Agreement, published in December.
A number of key milestones in the implementation of the Strategic Defence Review have already been achieved, including: decisions on the command structure, location and timetable for the establishment of a Joint Helicopter Command involving battlefield helicopters of all three Services, and a Joint RN/RAF Harrier force (Joint Force 2000); detailed decisions on the restructuring of the TA; the establishment of a Veterans Advice Unit and an inter-Departmental Services Families Task Force; plans for the reorganisation and enhancement of the Defence Medical Services; and the trialling of the principles of Smart Procurement through pilot Integrated Project Teams in the Procurement Executive and the logistics area.
Over the coming weeks, I anticipate being able to announce further significant achievements in the implementation of SDR measures.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what practical measures he plans to take to ensure that the implementation of the Strategic Defence Review is an open and transparent process. [74658]
Mr. George Robertson:
We have sought to ensure that the openness which characterised the conduct of the Strategic Defence Review continues in its implementation. We have consulted widely within the Department, with the Trades Unions and with affected local authorities on implementation of individual aspects, and will continue to do so. Where appropriate (for example, in taking forward the Smart Procurement initiative) we have involved defence industry. We consulted widely on the detailed implementation of TA restructuring and on the restructuring and enhancement of the Defence Medical Service before taking decisions. I held a seminar at RUSI on 22 October 1998 to discuss the Review with journalists, academics and other
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interested parties. We have kept Parliament informed as implementation of individual aspects progresses and will report further in the Defence White Paper later in the year.
Mr. Wilshire:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when and how he was made aware of certain key conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Committee on Sierra Leone; [73702]
(3) when (a) he and (b) his Ministers first saw the copy of the draft report of the Foreign Affairs Committee Sierra Leone inquiry sent to his office during the second week of January; and what he did with the draft report; [73576]
(4) what use was made by (a) him, (b) his Ministers, (c) his Department's PPSs, (d) advisers and (e) officials of the draft report of the Foreign Affairs Committee on Sierra Leone; [73704]
(5) with whom, and when, he discussed the draft report of the Foreign Affairs Committee Sierra Leone inquiry which was sent in the second week in January; [73575]
(6) when (a) the Minister who signed the written answer to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs. Gillan) of 16 February 1999, Official Report, column 751, and (b) the officials who drafted the written answer first learnt of the fact that a copy of the draft report had been received in his Department; [73636]
(7) how many copies were made of the leaked Foreign Affairs Committee documents relating to the committee's Sierra Leone inquiry; and to whom they were circulated; [73799]
(8) who received the fax containing the leaked Foreign Affairs Committee document received in the second week of January; and if he will list the (a) officials and (b) Ministers who had sight of the document; [73939]
(9) with which other members of the Government (a) he and (b) his Ministers discussed the existence of leaked Foreign Affairs Committee documents before the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd) agreed to the answer to the question from the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs. Gillan) of 23 February 1999, Official Report, columns 259-60; [73911]
(10) in which office the fax machine that received the leaked Foreign Affairs Committee document relating to the committee's Sierra Leone Inquiry was located; [73936]
(11) when (a) he, (b) any of his Ministers, (c) his officials, (d) his advisers and (e) his departmental parliamentary private secretaries first discussed leaked Foreign Affairs Committee documents relating to the Committee's Sierra Leone inquiry with the hon. Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Ross); [73897]
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(12) if he will place in the Library the original fax of the leaked Foreign Affairs Committee document relating to the committee's Sierra Leone Inquiry; [73937]
(13) when (a) he, (b) his Ministers, (c) his officials, (d) his advisers and (e) his departmental parliamentary private secretaries first knew that the hon. Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Ross) was the source of the leaked documents relating to the Foreign Affairs Committee's Sierra Leone inquiry; [73896]
(14) how many pages long the faxed document was containing the draft Foreign Affairs Committee report on the Sierra Leone inquiry which was received during the second week in January; [73938]
Mr. Woodward:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), his PPS, his advisers, or civil servants, had sight of or discussions about the Foreign Affairs Committee's Sierra Leone (i) report, (ii) draft report and (iii) amendments or selected details of the draft or final version before 8 am on Tuesday 9 February; [73699]
(3) what action he took to report to the House the leak of the key conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Committee on Sierra Leone referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs. Gillan), 23 February 1999, Official Report, columns 259-60; [73701]
(4) who in his office saw the leaked draft of the Foreign Affairs Committee's report on Sierra Leone; if it was discussed with him; and if it was discussed with or shown to other Ministers, PPSs, civil servants or special advisers; [73698]
(5) what actions he took when he received the leaked draft report of the Foreign Affairs Committee on Sierra Leone in the second week of January; and what actions he took when he received subsequent leaks of the report's key conclusions; [73697]
(6) what actions he took to report the leak of the draft report of the Foreign Affairs Committee on Sierra Leone to (a) the House and (b) the Committee. [73700]
Mr. Garnier:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will specify the dates and times of all the discussions he held with his Permanent Secretary about the draft report between its receipt in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the publication of the Committee's report; [74287]
(3) when the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), informed the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee that (i) he and (ii) members of his official and political staff had received a copy of the draft report on Sierra Leone; [74290]
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(4) when he first informed the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee that (i) he and (ii) members of his official and political staff had received a copy of the draft report on Sierra Leone. [74289]
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what action he took when he discovered that the Foreign Affairs Committee's draft report on Sierra Leone had been passed to his office in January; [73631]
(3) how long after receiving (a) the leaked draft and (b) the leaked key conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Committee report on Sierra Leone he informed the Permanent Secretary that these documents were in his possession; [74327]
(4) how he indicated to the hon. Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Ross) that he had received the leaked draft copy of the report by the Foreign Affairs Committee on Sierra Leone; [74330]
(5) what account the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), took of the leak of the draft report of the Foreign Affairs Committee on Sierra Leone in answering the question from the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham on 16 February 1999, Official Report, column 751 (ref. 71829); [74334]
(6) if any (a) special adviser, (b) Minister, (c) hon. Member, (d) official or (e) other person solicited a copy of the draft of the Foreign Affairs Committee report on Sierra Leone from the hon. Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Ross); [74329]
(7) which special adviser at his Department received the leaked key conclusions of the report of the Foreign Affairs Committee on Sierra Leone; [74328]
(8) if he will list all those (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers, (c) officials, (d) hon. Members and (e) others who were (i) told about and (ii) given copies of the leaked draft of the Foreign Affairs Committee report on Sierra Leone before 8 am on 9 February 1998; [74326]
(9) what account he took of paragraph 1.1.(iii) of the Ministerial Code when approving the answer given by the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), to the question from the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham on 16 February 1999, Official Report, column 751 (ref. 71829); [74336]
(10) what account the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), took of paragraph 1.1.(iii) of the Ministerial Code when answering the question from the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham on 16 February 1999, Official Report, column 751 (ref. 71829); [74335]
(11) if he will list the (a) complete and (b) partial (i) copies and (ii) drafts of select committee reports, apart from the one relating to Sierra Leone from the Foreign Affairs Committee, which he has received before publication. [73577]
Mr. Robin Cook
[holding answers 26 February and 1 March 1999]: I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham
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(Mrs. Gillan) on 23 February 1999, Official Report, columns 259-60 and to my Statement to the House on 24 February 1999, Official Report, column 415.
The draft report was seen by me, the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd) and a limited number of officials.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if (a) he, (b) his officials, (c) his special advisers and (d) his Ministers provided (i) assistance and (ii) advice to the hon. Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Ross) in the drafting of amendments to the Foreign Affairs Committee draft report on Sierra Leone. [73633]
Mr. Robin Cook
[holding answer 26 February 1999]: No action was taken to publish or disclose any part of the Foreign Affairs Committee's Report on Sierra Leone, or to interfere in any way with their preparation or the Committee's deliberations on them. No advice or assistance was given to any Member of the Select Committee in the drafting of amendments.
(2) by what means the copy of the draft report of the Foreign Affairs Committee Sierra Leone inquiry which was sent in the second week in January was delivered to his office; [73574]
(2) who was responsible for the leaks to him subsequent to the leak of the full draft of the Foreign Affairs Committee report on Sierra Leone; [73696]
(2) if he will identify the Minister, official or special adviser whose office fax machine received the draft copy of the Foreign Affairs Committee's report on Sierra Leone from the hon. Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Ross); [74286]
(2) when (a) he, (b) Ministers, (c) his Department's officials and (d) special advisers first saw a copy of the draft report from the Foreign Affairs Committee on Sierra Leone; [73635]
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