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Invoice Payments

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the instances in which his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies failed to pay valid invoices within 30 days or after the agreed credit period in the financial year 2000–01. [32030]

Dr. Moonie: The majority of the Ministry of Defence bills (some 95 per cent.) are paid by the Defence Bills Agency (DBA) which paid 100 per cent. of correctly presented bills within 30 days in the financial year 2000–01. The balance of the MOD's payments was made by the MOD's Trading Fund Agencies. Their performance against the 30 day target was as follows: Defence Evaluation and Research Agency 94.4 per cent.; Meteorological Office 99.9 per cent.; and the Hydrographic Office 98.5 per cent.

Royal Ordnance

Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are for Royal Ordnance to source ammunition from overseas for MOD needs. [33028]

Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence places contracts with RO Defence as the prime contractor for ammunition. The sourcing of ammunition and its component parts is a

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commercial decision that rests with the prime contractor. RO Defence is contracted to supply ammunition which is safe and suitable for use, provides both value for money and security of supply, and meets all the stringent requirements for UK service.

Data Protection Act

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Department's procedure is for responding to requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998; if he will place a copy in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [33482]

Dr. Moonie: Subject Access Requests (SARs) can be received at any level within the Ministry of Defence. Guidance on answering SARs has been cascaded throughout the MOD and its Agencies to a comprehensive network of data protection focal points for data protection issues. Different areas will have their own procedures to ensure compliance with MOD Guidance and the Data Protection Act. Departmental Guidance is regularly reviewed and updated as we continue to evaluate and develop our procedures. A copy of the current Guidance Notes will be placed in the Library of the House.

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what administration fees are charged by the Department for information requests made under the Data Protection Act 1998; [33461]

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Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence does not hold information centrally relating to the number or format of Subject Access Requests (SAR) received. Nor do we hold information centrally about the type of documentation requested. There is no requirement in the Act, or by the Information Commissioner to collate such information centrally therefore we have not set up such an arrangement.

However, Guidance on answering Subject Access Requests in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 has been cascaded throughout the MOD and its Agencies to a comprehensive network of nominated data protection focal points for data protection issues who monitor performance in their own area. As SARs can be received anywhere within the MOD, to collate this information would require us to contact all the different areas and assemble the information in a compatible format. Such an exercise would involve disproportionate effort. The Act provides that a data controller is not obliged to answer a SAR unless he has received a request in writing, the fee payable and sufficient information to confirm the identity of the applicant and to locate the information sought. The MOD currently does not make a charge for SAR.

Golden Jubilee

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what events (a) he is and (b) other Ministers in his Department are planning to attend as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations; and what events his Department is planning to arrange to celebrate the Golden Jubilee. [33256]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 4 February 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on 11 February, Official Report, columns 58–59W.

Golden Jubilee Medal

Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason members of the RAF Reserve are not eligible to receive the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. [36499]

Dr. Moonie: The RAF Reserve is divided into two broad categories, volunteer member and those former members of the Regular RAF who have a liability for a period of reserve service. Those volunteer members who were in effective military service on 6 February 2002 and had completed five annual bounty earning training years prior to that date are eligible to receive the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal (QGJM).

Ex-Regular members of the RAF Reserve will not have qualified for the QGJM unless on 6 February 2002 they had been called out for permanent service and their

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aggregated Regular service and/or Volunteer Reserve service totalled five years. Some Ministry of Defence civil servants who are required to wear service uniform as part of their terms of employment, are commissioned into the RAF Reserve (Civil Component). They are employed on civil service terms and conditions and so will not qualify for the medal, as is the case for civil servants generally.

Public Bodies (Chairmen)

Mr. Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the appointments made by his Department since 1 May 1997 of chairmen of (a) non-departmental public bodies, (b) commissions, (c) inquiries, (d) agencies and (e) task forces; and if he will list their (i) term of office, (ii) salary and (iii) known political affiliation (A) past and (B) present. [33891]

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Dr. Moonie: Details of the appointments of Chairmen of Ministry of Defence-sponsored non-departmental public bodies are set out in the table. Information is not collected on the political affiliation of appointees.

The MOD has not appointed a Chairman to any commissions, public inquiries or agencies since 1 May 1997.

Information on the number, remit and membership of task forces, ad hoc advisory groups and reviews is published by the Cabinet Office on a regular basis. The first report was published on 11 January 2000 and gives information for the period from 1 May 1997 to 31 October 1999. A second report was published on 27 July 2000 and covered the period 1 November 1999 to 30 April 2000. A third report was published on 13 December 2000 covering the period 1 May 2000 to 31 October 2000. The most recent report, "Task Forces, Ad Hoc Advisory Groups and Reviews", was issued in October 2001 and covers the period of the financial year 2000–01. Copies of these reports have been placed in the Library of the House.

NDPB chairman appointments in MOD since 1 May 1997

Name of bodyChairmanDate of appointmentAppointment endsSalary
Advisory Committee on Conscientious ObjectorsHis Honour Judge Rogers(2)27 October 199723 October 1999£178 per day
Advisory Group on Medical CountermeasuresName withheld(3)1 February 1998No date(4)£265 per day
Animal Welfare Advisory CommitteeDr. Robert Hubrecht13 July 2000April 2002£250 per day
Armed Forces Pay Review BodyRight hon. Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde1 April 199931 March 2002Nil
Dartmoor Steering GroupMr. James Woollcombe18 December 200017 December 2003Nil
Defence Nuclear Safety CommitteeDr. Sam Harbison CB1 January 20001 January 2005£315 per day
Defence Scientific Advisory CouncilProfessor Anthony Ledwith11 August 200031 March 2003£315 per day
Independent Board of Visitors to the Military Corrective Training CentreMr. R Jacklin1 January 1998 and 4 April 20011 June 2006Nil
National Army MuseumGeneral Sir John Waters GCB CBE JP1 July 1997 and 30 March 200130 March 2002Nil
National Employers Liaison CommitteeMr. John Bridgeman CBE TD DL1 December 19971 December 2002Nil
Nuclear Research Advisory CouncilDr. Derek Robinson1 October 20011 October 2006£315 per day
Oil and Pipelines AgencyDr. John Hastie8 July 19997 July 2002£9,800 per year
Review Board for Government ContractsSir Peter Webster17 March 199930 September 2001£10,990 per year
RAF Museum(5)AM Ian McFayden4 May 1999 (elected Chair September 1999)February 2001Nil
ACM Sir Richard Johns7 December 2000 (elected Chair February 2001)6 December 2003Nil
Royal Marines MuseumLieutenant General Sir Henry Beverley1 May 19971 May 2003Nil
Royal Military College of Science Advisory CouncilMr. Peter Gershon9 October 20008 October 2005£110 per day
Royal Naval MuseumVice Admiral Sir Barry Wilson KCB15 March 1999 and 9 January 200215 March 2003Nil
Royal Navy Submarine MuseumVice Admiral Sir Roy Newman1 August 19991 August 2004Nil
War Pensions Committees—Northern IrelandMajor Gordon Dodds MBE1 January 200131 December 2003Nil
War Pensions Committees—West of ScotlandMr. Derek Evans1 January 200131 December 2003Nil
War Pensions Committees—East of ScotlandMr. Arthur Oliver1 January 200131 December 2003Nil
War Pensions Committees—Yorkshire and HumbersideMrs. Jane Gummer MBE JP DL LLB1 January 200131 December 2003Nil
War Pensions Committees—North West EnglandLieutenant Colonel Stephen Overton1 January 200131 December 2003Nil
War Pensions Committees—East MidlandsMrs. Irene Shiels1 January 200131 December 2003Nil
War Pensions Committees—West MidlandsMr. Anthony Hartley-Woolley1 January 200131 December 2003Nil
War Pensions Committees—Eastern EnglandLieutenant Colonel Ray Holland OBE1 January 200131 December 2003Nil
War Pensions Committees—South East EnglandMs Penny Melville-Brown1 January 200131 December 2003Nil
War Pensions Committees—LondonAir Commodore Jack Hargreaves1 January 200131 December 2003Nil
War Pensions Committees—South West EnglandMajor Tim Tyler1 January 200131 December 2003Nil

(2) Appointed by the Lord Chancellor

(3) Name withheld under Exemption 12 (privacy of an individual) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

(4) The AGMC was not an NDPB at the date of this appointment, and there was no specific term of office stated. Now that AGMC was classified as an NDPB, all members' terms of office will be reviewed formally to specify appropriate length of service.

(5) Ministers appoint Trustees to the Board of the RAF Museum, which then elects a Chair from among its members.


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