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Arctic Campaign Star
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the awarding of an Arctic Campaign Star, in official recognition of the contribution made by servicemen taking part in the Russian convoys. [148506]
Dr. Moonie: Service on the Arctic convoys to Russia during the second world war has already been recognised by the award of the Atlantic Star. There are no plans to institute a new Arctic Campaign Star, or any other medals for second world war service. This is in accordance with the long-standing policy of the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals that it will not consider the retrospective institution of medals for service given many years ago.
Defence Bills Agency
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was paid out in total by the Defence Bills Agency to contractors in the UK in 1999-2000. [148212]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 1 February 2001]: The amount paid out in total by the Defence Bills Agency to contractors in the UK in 1999-2000 was £12,353,730,369.11.
Privatisation
Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies are under way which are examining privatisation of his Department's tasks and agencies. [148346]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 2 February 2001]: The Ministry of Defence public service agreement commits the Department to review all services and activities regularly and systematically over a five-year period. This five-year review cycle will include the quinquennial review of agencies, as well as services currently carried out within the MOD headquarters and by top level
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budgets. The reviews will look at all aspects of improving performance through in-house and private sector solutions, which include outsourcing, private finance and privatisation. Government policy on the review of services has been set out most recently in the Cabinet Office handbook on better quality services, published in 1998.
British Servicemen (Sierra Leone)
Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what illnesses have been reported by British servicemen who are serving or who have served in Sierra Leone. [148350]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 2 February 2001]: There are 112 confirmed and three suspected cases of malaria among service personnel who deployed to Sierra Leone. There was also one person suspected of having lassa fever, which was subsequently found not to be the case. These are cases of notifiable communicable diseases, reported by the Ministry of Defence in accordance with UK legislation. As of 31 January, available central records of illnesses among service personnel who deployed in Sierra Leone showed 36 reported cases of additional types of illnesses, among some 7,500 personnel deployed to Sierra Leone. These illnesses were: nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches, fever and chills, dizziness, photophobia, viral meningitis, herpes zoster, severe stress, acute pharyngitis, chronic sinusitis, noninfective gastroenteritis and colitis, enteritis, right sided pleuritic chest pain, pyrexia, nasopharyngitis, viral illness, possible parasite infestation, possible appendicitis, chest infection, infection in finger, acute tonsillitis.
US National Missile Defense
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 30 January 2001, Official Report, column 100W, on US National Missile Defense, what concerns his Department voiced to the previous US Administration with regard to US National Missile Defense; and what discussions took place with regard to the use of (a) RAF Fylingdales and (b) other military bases in the United Kingdom. [148874]
Mr. Hoon: We made it clear to the previous US Administration that we understood why the US is concerned about the threat from weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery and why they were considering deployment of a national missile defense system as one aspect of their response to the threat. We received no formal request from the previous US Administration for the use of facilities in the UK as part of their proposed system.
Army Training Estate (Otterburn)
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the proposals for improvements to the Army Training Estate at Otterburn requiring approval from a public inquiry remain of urgent national importance; and if he will make a statement. [148433]
Dr. Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces gave him on 7 July 2000, Official Report, column 338W. The decision remains with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.
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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
TV Licensing
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the compatibility of TV licensing's inquiry and enforcement methods with the European convention on human rights. [147610]
Janet Anderson: Statutory responsibility for the administration and enforcement of the television licensing system rests with the BBC. TV Licensing carries out the day-to-day administration, including inquiry and enforcement activities, as agent for the BBC. The Government and the BBC are on the whole satisfied that TV Licensing's inquiry and enforcement methods are compatible with the European convention on human rights, but in order to put one matter beyond doubt the Government intend to bring forward an order under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to regulate the use by TV Licensing of apparatus designed or adapted for detecting the installation or use of television receivers.
Hinduja Brothers
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) on what date the then Minister of State, Cabinet Office, the right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) was informed that the Hinduja brothers might provide funding for the Millennium Dome, and by whom; and if he will make a statement; [147477]
- (2) on what date the Hinduja brothers first gave an indication that they would consider providing funding for the Faith Zone of the Millennium Dome. [147478]
Janet Anderson [holding answer 26 January 2001]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 31 January 2001, Official Report, column 223W.
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the net amount of sponsorship received from the Hinduja brothers was in respect of the Faith Zone in the Millennium Dome. [148019]
Janet Anderson [holding answer 30 January 2001]: The New Millennium Experience Company announced on 3 June 1999 that the Faith Zone would receive £4 million in sponsorship--£2 million from the Laing Family Trusts (Christian charitable foundations); £1 million from the Hinduja Foundation; and £1 million from other Christian trusts including the Jerusalem Trust.
Sports Stadiums
Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department is making available to new major sporting stadiums; what events this funding will permit; and for how long each stadium is expected to be operational. [147022]
Kate Hoey [holding answer 30 January 2001]: My Department does not fund stadium development. However, Sport England has provided grant in aid for three major stadium projects through the Lottery Sport Fund.
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A grant of £120 million was awarded in November 1998 for purchase of the land for the English national stadium project at Wembley. Wembley National Stadium Ltd. has agreed to return £20 million of this amount following the decision to remove athletics from the stadium.
A grant of £77 million was awarded to the City of Manchester stadium. The stadium is due to hold the athletics and rugby sevens events for the 2002 Commonwealth games. Thereafter, the stadium will be used for football, and for community use with Manchester City football club as anchor tenant.
Grants of £1.57 million have been awarded to the Lee Valley national athletics centre for feasibility studies, which are to be completed by 31 May 2001. A budget allocation of up to a total of £60 million has been allocated for this project, subject to the receipt of a satisfactory grant application which will be assessed against Sport England's usual criteria. The stadium has been selected by UK Athletics to host the 2005 world athletics championships, which has been awarded to London by the International Amateur Athletics Federation.
Under the funding agreements for Wembley and Manchester, the project applicants are obliged to operate the projects for 50 years from opening. It is envisaged that the Lee Valley stadium will have the same operational life.
Millennium Dome (Sponsorship)
Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what the role of the right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) was in procuring and negotiating sponsorship deals for the Millennium Dome; and if he will make a statement; [147996]
- (2) when the first discussions were held with the Hinduja brothers about sponsorship of the Millennium Dome Faith Zone by the Hinduja Foundation; and if he will make a statement. [148029]
Janet Anderson [holding answer 30 January 2001]: It was the responsibility of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC), as the operator of the Dome, to negotiate and secure sponsorship for the Dome.
I understand from NMEC that the Hinduja Foundation first approached NMEC in February 1997 about the possibility of incorporating the "Concordia Project" into the Dome. This was to be an interactive visitor education centre focusing on the world's different cultures.
The then Minister without Portfolio was the shareholder of NMEC. In that role it was perfectly proper and reasonable that, as shareholder, he should meet sponsors and be kept fully informed of progress. However, the detailed negotiation of sponsorship arrangements was the responsibility of NMEC and individual sponsors.
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