5 Dec 2002 : Column 921W
Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 5 December 2002
CABINET OFFICE
Advisory Committees
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office who is on the (a) advisory committees on justices of the peace in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside, (b) Better Regulation Task Force and (c) Civil Service Appeals Board. [85055]
Mr. Alexander: Including sub-committees, there are 17 advisory Committees on justices of the peace in total in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. Copies of membership have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Details of the current membership of the Better Regulation Task Force (BRTF) is listed:
- David Arculus (Chair)
Michael Gibbons
Kevin Hawkins
Sukhvinder Stubbs
Tim Sweeney
Rex Symons CBE
Barbara Thomas
Matti Alderson
Stephen Falder
Teresa Graham OBE
Deirdre Hutton CBE
Simon Petch
Dr. Ian Peters
Dr. Penelope Rowlatt
Janet Russell
Simon Ward
The members of the Civil Service Appeals Board (CSAB) are:
- Chairman
J. H. Davies
Deputies
M. E. G Fogden CB (ES) (OS)
J. Sheldon (PCS) (SS)
Official Side Members
G. Bertram CB (DSS)
Ms S. Brown (DTI)
J. F. Carling (IR)
P. S. Draper CB (PSA)
E. McGivern CB (IR)
D. W. Rayson (HMT)
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A. Turner CBE (MOD)
J. Turner CB (ES)
I. Ward (Prison Service)
Trade Union Side Members
Mrs. C. Alderson (PCS)
A. J. Audley (IPMS)
Mrs. L. J. Clare (FDA)
Mrs. P. Cryer (PTC)
D. Evans (POA)
Mrs. D. Hall (NUCPS)
P. J. Kelly (PCS)
T. Thomson (PCS)
F. Winrow (IRSF)
Departmental Budgets
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the total budgets are of (a) the Social Inclusion Unit, (b) the Charter Mark and Beacon Unit, (c) Office of Public Services Reform, (d) Prime Minister's Delivery Unit, (e) Public Service Team, (f) Performance and Innovation Unit, (g) Centre for Performance and Management Studies, (h) No. 10 Policy Directorate, (i) Government Information and Communication Service, (j) Economic and Domestic Secretariat, (k) Intelligence and Security Secretariat, (l) Civil Contingencies Secretariat, (m) Ceremonial Secretariat, (n) Central Secretariat, (o) Chief Scientific Adviser, (p) European Secretariat, (q) Defence and Overseas Secretariat, (r) Regulatory Impact Unit, (s) Central Policy Group, (t) Communication Group, (u) Corporate Services, (v) Women and Equality Unit and (w) Equality Secretariat, for (i) 2002–03, (ii) 2003–04 and (iii) 2004–05; and if he will make a statement. [84150]
Mr. Alexander: 2002–03 Resource Budgets for the units shown above are as follows:
| Unit | Resource budget (£ million) |
|---|---|
| Office of Public Services Reform (including the Charter Mark and Beacon Scheme) | 5.2 |
| Prime Minister's Delivery Unit | 3.8 |
| Strategy Unit (formerly the Performance and Innovation Unit) | 6.5 |
| No. 10 Policy Directorate | 2.0 |
| Government Information and Communication Service | 4.0 |
| Economic and Domestic Secretariat | 1.3 |
| Intelligence and Security Secretariat | 6.0 |
| Civil Contingencies Secretariat | 6.8 |
| Ceremonial Secretariat | 0.4 |
| Central Secretariat | 3.4 |
| Defence and Overseas Secretariat | 2 .1 |
| Regulatory Impact Unit | 3 .1 |
| Communication Group | 2.3 |
| Corporate Services Group | 47.8 |
| Centre for Management and Policy Studies | 2.3 |
Notes:
1. The Social Exclusion Unit, Central Policy Group, Women and Equality Unit and Equality Secretariat are now part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
2. The Public Service Team and Chief Scientific Adviser are not part of the Cabinet Office.
3. Budgets for 2003–04 and 2004–05 will be finalised following completion of the Cabinet Office's business planning round which is being carried out between now and March 2003.
5 Dec 2002 : Column 923W
E-Envoy
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the (a) remuneration package and (b) grade is of (i) the e-Envoy and (ii) his deputy. [85064]
Mr. Alexander: The e-Envoy, Mr. Andrew Pinder, is employed in SCS Pay Band 3, for which the current salary range is £87,125 to £184,500; he is eligible to receive non-consolidated bonus awards based on performance throughout the year. He is also a member of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme to which the employer and employee both contribute.
His deputy, the Chief Operating Officer of the Office of the e-Envoy, Mr. Christopher Parker, is employed in SCS Pay Band 2, for which the current salary range is £70,725 to £148,625; he is eligible to receive non-consolidated bonus awards based on performance throughout the year. He is also a member of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme to which the employer and employee both contribute.
Sir David Omand
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office to whom Sir David Omand reports. [85422]
Mr. Alexander: Sir David Omand reports to the Prime Minister through the Secretary of the Cabinet. As Security and Intelligence Co-Ordinator he is the senior official responsible for the co-ordination of activity across Government in relation to counter-terrorism and civil contingency preparations on which he directly supports the Home Secretary as chair of the relevant Cabinet Committees. As Accounting Officer for the Cabinet Office, Sir David supports the Minister for the Cabinet Office.
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many officials, and at what levels and for what proportion of their time are working to Sir David Omand. [85423]
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Mr. Alexander: As at 2 December 2002, there were 37 Senior Civil Servants and 724 other staff working in Cabinet Office units that report directly to Sir David Omand. All figures are rounded to full time equivalents.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Museums, Libraries and Archives
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the performance of the national strategic body for museums, libraries and archives; and if she will make a statement. [83759]
Dr. Howells: Since its establishment in April 2000, Resource, The Council for Museums, Libraries and Archives has developed closer links between each of the sectors through the creation of regional agencies, and has published a vision for regional museums which has attracted £70 million central Government funding. It has managed the implementation of the People's Network ICT infrastructure in public libraries, which attracted £120 million Lottery funding. It has worked closely with my Department to develop a strategy for the public library service to be published soon and has set up an archives task force.
DEFENCE
Accident Inquiries
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 25 November 2002, Official Report, column 1W, on accident inquiries, how many (a) boards of inquiry, (b) unit inquiries, (c) ship inquiries and (d) station inquiries have been convened in relation to accidents that have resulted in significant damage to buildings or equipment, or affected operational capability, in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [85366]
Dr. Moonie: The number of RAF inquiries into accidents involving property or equipment between 1998 and 2002 is detailed in the table:
| Year | Board of inquiry (air accident) | Boards of inquiry (equipment) | Boards of inquiry (property) | Boards of inquiry (opps efficiency) | Unit inquiry (equipment) | Unit inquiry (property) | Unit inquiry (opp eff) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 3 | |
| 2002 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 31 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 7 | 4 | |
| Total boards of inquiry | 37 | Total unit inquiry | 37 | |||||
Information concerning numbers of inquiries into accidents involving Royal Navy, Army and DLO property or equipment is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Challenger 2 Tanks
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Army's (a) requirement, (b) total number and (c) actual operating number is of (i) Challenger 2 tanks, (ii) AS90 and (iii) Lynx helicopters; and if he will make a statement. [85354]
Mr. Ingram: The requirement for the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank is for six armoured regiments, each with a war establishment of 58 tanks, giving a total of 348 tanks. Further tanks are required for training and to maintain repair loops. The total number of
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Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks is 386, with holdings split between units, the British Army Training Unit Suffield, the Army Training and Recruiting Agency, trials and development, in-depth repair and storage. Units do not normally hold all 58 tanks for which they are established on a day to day basis. More typically the six armoured regiments would hold 44 tanks each.
The requirement for AS90 is for six regiments, giving a total of 126 guns. Further guns are required for training and to maintain repair loops. The total number of AS90 guns is 179, with holdings split between units, the British Army Training Unit Suffield, the Army Training and Recruiting Agency, trials and development, in-depth repair and storage. Typical unit holdings are either 24 or 18 guns, but, for operations, holdings would be reorganised to allow regiments of 32 guns to be deployed.
The requirement for Lynx helicopters is for 117, of which 17 will be undergoing maintenance at any one time, giving an operating fleet of 100 helicopters deployed across the United Kingdom and overseas.
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) the modifications that have been made to Challenger 2 tanks and how much these modifications cost, (b) the modifications are being made to Challenger 2 tanks and how much these modifications will cost, (c) further modifications to Challenger 2 tanks that his Department plans to make and how much he estimates these will cost and (d) when he expects modifications to be complete; and if he will make a statement. [85362]
Mr. Hoon: In line with the practice for all major items of equipment, Post Design Service enabling arrangements have been placed with the Design Authority (DA) (now Alvis Vickers Ltd.) since Challenger 2 entered service. In addition to maintaining the design standard, these agreements allow modifications, ranging from minor adjustments of detailed build standard to significant changes to operational capability, to be considered. This enables specific contracts to be placed to undertake any necessary modification work. In line with this approach, a number of contracts have been placed recently in respect of modifications to Challenger 2 to improve its operation in desert conditions.
I am withholding the specific details, cost and timescale of the modification work under Exemption 1 (Defence, security and international relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
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