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Public Service Agreements

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the Public Service Agreement targets which have been revised and those which have been introduced since the publication of the 2001 departmental report. [43248]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: Following machinery of Government changes in June 2001, the Public Service Agreement targets for the Department of Social Security were carried forward with the addition of the target shown below which was transferred from the Department for Education and Employment.

"A continued reduction in the number of unemployed people over the age of 18 over the three years to 2004, taking account of the economic cycle."

DEFENCE

Defence Medical Agencies

Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with the quinquennial review of the defence medical agencies; and if he will make a statement. [46935]

Dr. Lewis Moonie: As indicated in my written answer on 15 December 2000, Official Report, columns 274W–275W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Coaker) the Review has covered the functions and organisation of the Ministry of Defence's four medical agencies—the Defence Secondary Care

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Agency (DSCA), the Defence Dental Agency (DDA), the Defence Medical Training Organisation (DMTO) and the Medical Supplies Agency (MSA)—and other aspects of medical provision. I announced the results of the initial phase of work in my written answer of 17 October 2001, Official Report, columns 1223W–1224W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Great Yarmouth (Mr. Wright).

The Review Team has now completed its work, and I am today placing a summary of its conclusions in the Library of the House. In brief, the main points are that:

There must be a clearer focus on delivery of the two key Defence medical outputs—deployable operational medical capability, and timely appropriate healthcare for Service personnel;

Accountability for the delivery of these outputs by both central and single-Service authorities must be defined unambiguously, as part of a clear tri-Service strategy and plan;

The Surgeon General (SG), working to the Vice Chief of Defence Staff, will be empowered to undertake effective oversight and direction of the DMS in meeting the key output requirements, including those elements which remain under single-Service management;

A stronger partnership will be established between the DMS and the National Health Service;

Management capabilities throughout the DMS will be strengthened, drawing on expertise from the parent Services and, where relevant, the NHS;

The Defence Medical Services will be re-aligned and restructured to focus more effectively on the two key Defence medical outputs. The DSCA will be disestablished on 31 March 2003, with its training-related functions transferring to an expanded medical training agency, and healthcare commissioning being undertaken by a new group within the Surgeon General's staff. The MSA has now transferred into the Defence Logistics Organisation as of 1 April 2002.

The review has provided an important opportunity to take stock of the progress that has been made since the announcement of the New Strategy for the DMS at the end of 1998. It is no surprise that it has concluded that while much has been done over the last three years there are further steps to be taken—and changes to be made—that will help the process of restoring DMS capability and ensuring that key Defence medical outputs are delivered. The Government is committed to achieving those aims and, subject to the normal consultative process, to implementing the outcome of the review.

Job No: CW0126 Folios: 000-000Operator: Operator Number 3. Date: 11/04/02

Mr. Anthony D. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence What progress has been made with the quinquennial review of the medical agencies; and if he will make a statement. [8603]

Dr. Moonie: I am pleased to say that the review team have completed the first phase of its studies. As indicated in my written answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Vernon Coaker) of 15 December 2000, Official Report, column 275W, the team has covered medical arrangements for personnel in Germany and Northern Ireland; and the inter-relationships between primary and secondary care as

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well as the functions and organisation of the Ministry of Defence's four medical agencies—the Defence Secondary Care Agency, the Defence Dental Agency, the Defence Medical Training Organisation and the Medical Supplies Agency.

I have endorsed the broad lines of the review team's report on the first phase of its studies and have agreed a package of further work to underpin and confirm its provisional conclusions. A paper summarising the main features of the team's initial report and the phase 2 work, which will take place between now and the end of the year, is being placed in the Library of the House. As the paper indicates, this further work will result in a detailed report which will form the basis of full consultation.

Property Protection

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence What new measures his Department took in 2001–02 to protect its property from theft or damage. [47250]

Rebo

Dr. Lewis Moonie [holding reply Wednesday 10 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 February 2002, (Official Report, column 682) which gave details of new and existing measures to deter and detect fraud and theft. It is a prime feature of delegated line management responsibility to operate procedures protecting assets from theft and damage. These procedures are always subject to review. They are enhanced where possible through central initiatives directed at the deterrence and detection of fraud and theft and the introduction of resource accounting arrangements. Recent developments include the promulgation of a policy statement on fraud and theft and the development of a programme of fraud and theft awareness training across the department. Key controls, such as the maintenance of asset registers requiring a physical description of assets, spot checks and random searches, authorisation to remove assets from sites and physical security are underpinned by published guidance and direction. Job No: CW0126 Folios: 000-000Operator: Operator Number 3. Date: 11/04/02

Joint Services Group

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the Joint Services Group was formed; what its mission is; how many soldiers are assigned to it; what ranks are represented in its leadership; and to whom its commanding officer reports. [48026]

Mr. Ingram: I am withholding this information under Exemption 1a of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (information whose disclosure would harm national security or defence).

Warships

Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his written answer of 25 March 2002, Official Report, column 562W, on warships, if the companies mentioned will be involved with nuclear material as part of their contract; and if he will make a statement. [48178]

Mr. Ingram: Babcock Naval Services Limited at the Clyde and Devonport Management Limited at Devonport will be required to provide direct support to

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Royal Navy nuclear powered submarines and this will involve nuclear material. Both of these companies are already engaged in work of this type.

Celebrations

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements his Department has made to celebrate (a) St. Patrick's Day, (b) St. George's Day, (c) St. Andrew's Day and (d) Her Majesty the Queen's Golden Jubilee; and how his Department celebrated St. David's Day. [42298]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 11 March 2002]: The hon. Member is referred to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport (Tessa Jowell) to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Tim Yeo) on 11 February 2002, Official Report, column 58W, in respect of her Department's responsibility for supporting and facilitating the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations.

The Home Office flies the Union flag on St. George's Day and St. David's Day, and this year will also be flying the flag on Coronation Day—2 June 2002.

Staff will benefit from an additional bank holiday which will take place on Monday 3 June 2002 to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

The Home Office issues a calendar of religious and cultural festivals each year and the Saints' days are included in that. Managers are encouraged to be flexible where possible and to make a reasonable accommodation for staff wishing to take leave for religious observance and festivals.

HOME DEPARTMENT

James Ashley

Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral statement of the right hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) of 11 February 2002, Official Report, columns 49–54, on James Ashley, what progress has been made in conducting disciplinary proceedings in relation to the police officers involved in the shooting of James Ashley.[43299]

Mr. Denham: One superintendent and two chief inspectors are facing a number of disciplinary charges. One officer has obtained leave for judicial review of his suspension. All three officers are seeking leave for judicial review of the chief constable's decision to proceed with disciplinary charges. It is unlikely that any disciplinary hearings will take place until those matters have been resolved.

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