| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Departmental Underspend
Mr. Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total underspend in his Department was on (a) capital and (b) non-capital expenditure in each financial year since May 1997. [34025]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the following appropriation accounts, which provide the data requested. Copies of these are available in the Library of the House.
- Appropriation Accounts 1997–98 Vol 1: Class 1 MOD, 26 Nov 1998, pps 10, 11, 12, (Vote 1) pps 23 and 31 (Vote 2) and p 32 (Vote 3).
Appropriation Accounts 1998–99 Vol 1: Class 1 MOD, 19 Jan 2000, pps 10, 11, 12, (Vote 1) pps 23 and 29 (Vote 2) and p 30 (Vote 3).
Appropriation Accounts 1999–2000 Vol 6: Class VI MOD, 24 Jan 2001, pps 9–11 (Vote 1).
Appropriation Accounts 2000–2001 Vol 6: Class VI MOD, 23 Nov 2001, pps 11–14 (Vote 1).
KFOR
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel, and of what nationalities, were (a) directly and (b) indirectly under British command in KFOR on 1 January each year since June 1999. [34110]
7 Feb 2002 : Column 1084W
Mr. Ingram: The Commander of the Multi-National Brigade (Centre) is the senior British officer in KFOR. He had the following personnel under his operational control during the subject periods.
| Countries | 1 January 2000 | 1 January 2001 | 1 January 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 2,112 | 3,353 | 2,889 |
| Canada | 914 | — | — |
| Czech Republic | 162 | 170 | 168 |
| Finland | 680 | 816 | 957 |
| Sweden | 709 | 768 | 767 |
| Norway | 961 | 1,010 | 999 |
| Latvia | — | 5 | 10 |
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether members of the Royal Military Police are stationed in Kosovo. [34113]
Mr. Ingram: 45 members of 110 Provost Company are currently stationed in Kosovo.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British military personnel, and of what ranks, were directly under the command of personnel of other nationalities in KFOR on 1 January each year since June 1999. [34112]
Mr. Ingram: British military personnel in KFOR are under the operational command of the UK Chief of Joint Operations. Operational control of most elements of the UK contribution is delegated to Commander KFOR, who has not been a UK officer since October 1999. Some individuals are seconded to posts in the NATO chain of command, where they come under more direct day to day command of a non-UK officer. The information cannot be provided in the form requested, however the table gives details available from records held.
| Year | HQ KFOR Kosovo | HQ KFOR Fyrom |
|---|---|---|
| September 2000 | 46 | 12 |
| February 2001 | 48 | 17 |
| January 2002 | 35 | 16 |
Details of rank are not available, but the majority will be officers.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the arrangements are for the command and control of British personnel seconded to UN policing duties in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [34114]
Mr. Ingram: There are no UK military personnel currently conducting UN policing duties in Kosovo. However, there are currently Ministry of Defence police officers deployed in Kosovo as part of the UK Government commitment to the United Nations International Civil Policing Mission (UNMIK). The command and control arrangements for these officers are the responsibility of the United Nations Police Commissioner in Kosovo.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian personnel, and of what nationality, were contracted (a) directly and (b) indirectly to British forces in KFOR on 1 January each year since June 1999. [34111]
7 Feb 2002 : Column 1085W
Mr. Ingram: The numbers of locally employed civilians engaged by UK forces in Kosovo are as follows:
| Year | Locally employed civilians |
|---|---|
| 1 January 2000 | 875 |
| 1 January 2001 | 628 |
| 1 January 2002 | 660 |
Records held do not indicate ethnic origin but the vast majority would be Kosovars.
TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS
Remuneration
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will estimate the number of individuals in his (a) Department, (b) related agencies and (c) related non-departmental public bodies whose annual remuneration including benefits in kind exceeded (i) £100,000 and (ii) £200,000 in each of the last four years. [26319]
Dr. Whitehead: Information on remuneration for senior staff is shown in the individually published audited accounts. Remuneration in respect of the financial year 2000–01 salaries are to be published in the DETR Resource Accounts, which are to be laid before Parliament by 31 January 2002.
In respect of (a) and (b) , in each of the three earlier years 1997–98 to 1999–2000, one individual in DETR and one individual in the agencies received more than £100,000 but less than £200,000. Annual remuneration includes basic salary, allowances, bonuses and taxable benefits in kind. It does not include pension benefits.
In respect of (c) on NDPBs, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 29 January 2002, Official Report, column 253W.
Ministerial Transport
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last four years. [27909]
Dr. Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 30 January 2002 by the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, Official Report, columns 405–06W.
Information on the cost of taxis by the Department is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, officials should use the most cost effective method when travelling on official business.
Euro
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assistance has been made available to local authorities to issue the payment of (a) bills and (b) services in euros and what discussions he has had with (i) local government
7 Feb 2002 : Column 1086W
representatives and (ii) the Treasury to review the limit set for local authorities regarding collection of their income in non-sterling. [29693]
Dr. Whitehead: Details of the Government's preparations for the introduction of euro cash in the euro area from 1 January 2002 are contained in the Fifth Report on Euro Preparations. We recently drew local authorities' attention to the treatment of euro payments, making it clear that, as is the case with other major international currencies, it is a matter for individual authorities whether or not to accept payments for bills and services in non-sterling. There is no limit set for local authorities regarding the collection of their income in non-sterling.
Rail Strategic Plan
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether the £33.5 billion contribution to the costs of the SRA Strategic Plan by the public sector includes the public subsidy payments to the train operating companies. [30257]
Mr. Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Amber Valley (Judy Mallaber) on 29 January 2000, Official Report, columns 177–78W.
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West of 28 January 2002, Official Report, column 53W, what discussions he expects to have regarding aspects of the Strategic Rail Authority's strategic plan that directly relate to Scotland; [32607]
- (2) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West of 28 January 2002, Official Report, column 53W, whether the Strategic Rail Authority has sought to have discussions with him with regards to aspects of the Strategic Rail Authority's strategic plan that directly relate to Scotland. [32697]
Mr. Jamieson: Ministers and officials meet regularly with the Strategic Rail Authority to discuss rail issues including those that directly relate to Scotland.
Abandoned Vehicles
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects to publish the result of the recent consultation on abandoned vehicles. [31506]
Mr. Jamieson: The DTLR/DEFRA consultation closed on 31 January. The Government expect to publish the outcome of the consultation shortly.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |